Chapter 1809: Read Soul

The Guihunzong, wasn't that the technique Su Yin used half a year ago?

It was the appearance of this technique that completely erased even the last glimmer of hope for Emperor Cang Sheng to survive.

But at that time, Su Yin performed the technique, colluding with the Dao Hall Masters, to seize the qualification to establish a foothold in the Sacred God Continent.

Although he was eventually exposed and defeated by Shou Ye, he did it for himself.

What was Shou Ye doing by using this move?

To revive himself?

But he was still alive!

Then it could only be…

"Revive Hua Changdeng?"

Millions of spectators on Jinxing, all familiar with the situation from half a year ago, now couldn't understand Shou Ye's technique.

What was the point of reviving an enemy?

To desecrate the corpse?

"Woo-hoo—"

Soul sounds screamed, and myriad ghosts howled.

The dark clouds of Guihunzong, which once hovered above the Southern Domain's Sinful Land, now absorbed ghost power from all over the Ghost-Buddha Realm, gathering above the Sword God Heaven in the Central Domain.

Black clouds pressed down.

Not just the spectators near the Zhongyuan Realm.

People from various places outside the Ghost-Buddha Realm in the Central Domain could now look up and see this eerie and sinister phenomenon.

The anomaly in the Ghost-Buddha Realm originated from the Ghost Buddha.

The Ghost Buddha's anomaly originated from Hua Changdeng.

In the battle, Hua Changdeng's consciousness body was killed by Shou Ye's Tidal Sword, but the various Fengdu anomalies throughout the Ghost-Buddha Realm represented traces of Hua Changdeng's power everywhere.

Now that the Guihunzong had appeared, how could it not summon a wisp of his remnant soul?

Before long, in the middle area where the Gui Zhe ruins met the Zhongyuan Realm stele in the distant sky, a ghostly greenish soul shadow condensed.

The soul shadow twisted and struggled, finally manifesting into a phantom, painful, and conflicted figure.

"Ghost Sword Immortal!"

The images on Hongniang Jinxing rapidly zoomed in, locking onto that figure from afar.

His face was still blurred, but the broken lamp in his hand and the broken sword at his waist unmistakably declared his identity: none other than the recently fallen Hua Changdeng.

"Xu Xiaoshou…"

Upon the emergence of the remnant soul shadow, it paused for a long time, as if only then recalling the previous beheading.

But even as he mumbled that name, his voice was still filled with pain and torment.

The power of the 'Name' from Tidal Sword, because of Hua Changdeng's remnant soul return, gathered again and tormented him once more.

"Is this really desecration?"

"Shou Ye is not human!"

"This is too terrifying. He only provoked him a little, why go so far? Shou Ye, let the Ghost Sword Immortal go, I can't bear to watch…"

The Jinxing spectators immediately erupted.

This method was undeniably brutal, yet it had to be said, it was very Shou Ye!

Besides him, probably no one could be so imaginative as to desecrate a corpse in this way, and even if they wanted to, they wouldn't have the ability.

However…

Was Yu Lao's death truly such a huge blow to Shou Ye?

Was it necessary to kill a person, then summon their remnant soul to chop them again for revenge?

"Heh heh, Hua Changdeng, it feels like three autumns since we last met. I'm starting to miss you a little. I wonder if you've missed me?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked from afar, his words sharp, but his body swayed, and he publicly birthed another version of himself.

"Out-of-Body Incarnation?"

Hua Changdeng's remnant soul gathered its thoughts, and its consciousness seemed to be gradually recovering, discerning the trick behind the technique.

He remembered that Xu Xiaoshou had not yet reached the Half-Saint realm.

But the out-of-body incarnation split from this technique was surprisingly indistinguishable from the main body in terms of body, spirit, and mind.

Its form of existence was even more perfect than a Half-Saint incarnation; it could only be Su Yin's out-of-body incarnation, right?

"That's right, Su Yin has ties with you…"

Xu Xiaoshou heard this murmur and thought, 'It's stable.'

At this moment, the remnant soul summoned by the Guishizong was finally connected to Hua Changdeng's main body, who was presumably in the Yunshan Imperial Realm.

Otherwise, the remnant soul shouldn't remember what happened before his mental incarnation was killed.

Hua Changdeng's remnant soul being able to connect with Hua Changdeng's main body made things easier.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't bother with further nonsense and turned to look at the second true body beside him:

"Jinren, it's up to you."

Jinren wore a deathly expression but was already accustomed to being treated inhumanly. He immediately focused his gaze on Hua Changdeng's remnant soul and softly commanded:

"Soul Read!"

Once upon a time, in the Yunlun Mountains, Xu Xiaoshou performed a 'Soul Read' on a girl from the Black Heart Fruit Clan of the Southern Domain named Duo'er.

That was his first true encounter with a Saint.

It was also his first time understanding what "Saints cannot be looked at directly" meant.

The power of a Half-Saint was so strong that even if their soul memories were peeked into, they could sense it and then lock onto the peeker from a distance.

Xu Xiaoshou in the Yunlun Mountains era was terrified.

That time, with the help of the powers of Ember Half-Saint and Ba Zunan within him, he managed to repel Half-Saint Zang Ren's gaze and successfully avert danger.

If a Half-Saint was like this, a Saint Emperor or Ancestor God would be the same.

But now, Xu Xiaoshou no longer feared these gazes and counter-gazes.

On the contrary, he was fearless and even dared to use such "counter-gazes" from Saints and above to accomplish certain things, such as the present situation.

"Soul Read!"

When Jinren looked over, Hua Changdeng was tormented by the 'Name' power, and his remnant soul power was already weak.

Caught off guard, as soon as his gaze, guided by Jinren, made contact, his body violently convulsed.

"He's in!"

Xu Xiaoshou shared Jinren's perspective.

In an instant, he felt dizzy, his consciousness plunged into an empty space, and then arrived in a beautiful wonderland.

He stood in a purple bamboo forest, surrounded by swirling mist and overwhelming spiritual energy.

On the open ground ahead, sword marks crisscrossed, both old and new, clearly traces left by years of practicing ancient sword arts.

He wasn't alone in the purple bamboo forest; a young girl with a high ponytail stood not far away.

The girl was just in her prime, but she was already graceful and elegant, with heroic eyebrows and extremely spirited eyes. She wore a cherry-pink silk dress and carried a slender female sword, a third-grade spiritual sword.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

He actually recognized this sword!

"Star-Moon Singer…"

But the Star-Moon Singer he knew, though only seen once on Void Island, was a super-first-grade spiritual sword, clearly possessing the qualities of a famous sword.

And the owner of this sword seemed to have been the same person from beginning to end…

"Rao Yaoyao."

Xu Xiaoshou heard "himself" speak.

The voice was slightly childish, completely different from Hua Changdeng's ancient, weathered tone: "You've been blocking my purple bamboo forest for half a month now, what exactly do you want?"

What the heck!

I actually saw the adorable Rao Yaoyao in Hua Changdeng's past? And when she was thirteen or fourteen?

Life is full of sighs.

Xu Xiaoshou gained a new understanding of "living long enough to see everything."

His primary will was, of course, to leave Hua Changdeng's perspective as early as possible, as 'Soul Read' was easily broken by experts.

No matter how weak Hua Changdeng's remnant soul was…

No matter how strong his Dao-of-Mind guidance was…

Hua Changdeng himself was extraordinary!

Perhaps in just a few more breaths, he would react and then find which period of his soul memory Xu Xiaoshou was hiding in.

But that's how people are.

Xu Xiaoshou's original intention was to use Hua Changdeng's remnant soul, through 'Soul Read,' to initially explore the five Great Saint Emperor families and leave a will imprint, for future contingencies.

But upon seeing the adorable Rao Yaoyao, he found that he couldn't move his feet.

It wasn't because he was attracted, but because he was too curious!

These two, in their childhood, had this past?

Anyway, it was Jinren, at worst he'd die, and before dying, he'd explore the five Great Saint Emperor's secret realms… Xu Xiaoshou watched with a clear conscience.

The fourteen-year-old Rao Yaoyao was exceptionally tall, already showing hints of her future stunning beauty. She looked down at "himself" with disdain, her delicate nose slightly wrinkled, and coldly snorted:

"Coward, you know you've been hiding in the purple bamboo forest for half a month?"

"This young lady is here to challenge you, do you dare to accept?"

She flipped her slender hand, and the silver chain on her wrist pulsed with light, revealing a gilded black challenge letter in her palm.

"With the courtesy of an ancient sword cultivator, I, Rao Yaoyao, wielding this sword…"

"A third-grade spiritual sword, Star-Moon Singer!"

She raised the sword in her hand, her eyes filled with sword intent, and declared: "I challenge you, Hua Changdeng, do you dare to accept?!"

Xu Xiaoshou almost laughed out loud.

No, this was Jinren's perspective, he was in the Ghost-Buddha Realm, and he let out a chuckle, unable to hold back, spitting out laughter in front of millions of spectators on Jinxing.

It had to be Rao Yaoyao!

It had to be Princess Rao!

Her tsundere personality really hadn't changed a bit from childhood to adulthood, had it?

Hua Changdeng was speechless.

Rao Yaoyao clenched her pink fist, tilting the Star-Moon Singer downwards, her skirt instantly billowing high:

"You will be defeated by my sword!"

Hua Changdeng sighed softly.

He finally moved, but only to glance at the challenge letter before withdrawing his gaze, cupping his hands and bowing:

"I, Hua Changdeng, surrender!"

Then he pointed into the distance: "Immortal Rao, you've won, please make way. I, this coward, still have to go to Yunshan Sacred Palace. If I'm late, the elders will blame me, and I'll report your name, saying you delayed the time."

"You…"

Rao Yaoyao's chest heaved with anger. She fiercely held the gilded challenge letter… wanting to throw it, but not daring to, fearing it would desecrate the ancient sword cultivator's etiquette.

Finally, she took several heavy steps forward, stopping in front of Hua Changdeng.

She was more than a head taller than the coward. Her beautiful eyes, filled with anger, looked down, almost stuffing the challenge letter into Hua Changdeng's mouth:

"Today, you will accept this challenge letter whether you want to or not!"

"This is the courtesy of an ancient sword cultivator, and you are also an ancient sword cultivator, you cannot refuse a challenge!"

Hua Changdeng stepped back three paces, not taking the challenge letter, only saying: "I only cultivated swords with him for a few days, how am I an ancient sword cultivator?"

Rao Yaoyao was furious, snapping:

"A teacher for a day, a father for life!"

"Mr. Si Ren enlightened you in ancient sword arts, and you don't take it seriously? Do you look down on me, and also on Mr. Si Ren?"

She extended the challenge letter forward again.

Seeing the short boy still shaking his head, she laughed in extreme anger, pointing her finger repeatedly, as if to poke a hole in the little guy's head:

"You, Hua Changdeng, you are simply… simply…" She choked for a moment, then, after thinking, said, "Too arrogant!"

What a clumsy way to provoke!

What civilized cursing!

Xu Xiaoshou finally understood why Rao Yaoyao's retorts were always so powerless when he made her angry.

It turns out it wasn't powerlessness; it was that she was too well-mannered, with not a single swear word in her vocabulary.

Hua Changdeng still didn't take the challenge letter.

He ignored the person in front of him, lightly coughed, covered his chest, and walked past her side: "I caught a cold today, and I'm not feeling well. I'm afraid I can't fight Immortal Rao."

"Unwell! You're unwell again! You just don't want to fight, you don't dare to fight!" Rao Yaoyao shouted at his retreating back.

"I can fight, do you want to win unfairly?"

"You…" Rao Yaoyao pointed her sword at his retreating back, "My Love Sword Art has already entered the initial stage. Even without using Love Sword Art, I can defeat you with Ghost Sword Art!"

"You can sneak attack, I won't turn around."

"You…"

Rao Yaoyao stomped her foot in anger.

But a gentleman's sword would not launch a sneak attack.

Even if she crumpled the gilded challenge letter, she still couldn't thrust her sword out, which indeed felt like an unfair victory.

But if she didn't fight…

If she didn't fight, they would all say…

Her talent was inferior to this coward.

"I'm so angry, I'm so angry!"

Uncontrollable mumbling came from behind.

Xu Xiaoshou broke free from Hua Changdeng's first-person perspective and looked at the purple bamboo forest from a god's-eye view.

By this point, after the Dao-of-Mind's super-dao transformation, he was no longer limited to passively experiencing past memories during a 'Soul Read'.

When his will entered a world, he could take his will as the main body, with his body and spirit as distant aids, and freely explore the world.

"Rustle… rustle…"

The wind rustled through the purple bamboo forest.

The bamboo leaves were uneven, and light and shadows, like ripples, cast upon the sword marks on the ground, swaying.

Xu Xiaoshou had originally been looking at this young sword play between Hua and Rao with amusement.

Halfway through the scene, for some reason, the smile left his face.

His thoughts, like the rustling wind in the purple bamboo forest, drifted somewhere unknown, a mix of emotions swirling within him.

"Who!"

The fourteen-year-old Rao Yaoyao suddenly turned and looked at the bushes by the forest edge, her figure gradually fading.

In this memory of Hua Changdeng, she was already blurred and unimportant.

"Wa ka ka!"

A bluestone by the bushes trembled, emitting a strange laugh, then cracked and pieced together into a bizarrely shaped stone man, as tall as an adult.

"Stone Man, making a grand entrance!"

The stone man, with a gleaming gem on its forehead, stood up with a thump, hands on hips, and laughed uproariously: "Rao Yaoyao, we heard you wanted to challenge Hua Changdeng, we've been waiting for ages!"

"How is it?" The stone man posed from head to toe, "Isn't this outfit cool?"

Rao Yaoyao's figure was unseen, only her helpless sigh could be heard: "Dao Qiongcang, you really…"

"And me!"

A handsome young man in a red cloak jumped out from behind the stone man. He carried a huge wooden sword and chanted: "Xuan Cang bears witness to my name, Divine Sword bears witness to my Dao, if one gains…"

"Moon Fox, don't even think about it! Xuan Cang Divine Sword is mine! Say that again, and I'll tell your sister you snuck out!"

"Oh, oh, if it's yours, it's yours. Is it really necessary…?"

"Stop fooling around." Hua Changdeng's voice came from ahead. "Bei Huai caused trouble and is being held in Yunshan Sacred Palace, awaiting judgment. Come over."

The stone man and Moon Fox scampered over.

Rao Yaoyao's voice became anxious: "No, why are you all going to Yunshan Sacred Palace? Why didn't anyone inform me?"

The wind rustled through the purple bamboo forest.

Before long, Hua Changdeng's voice drifted back: "They all had a part, helping the wicked."

"I want to go too!"

"You want to come and get scolded?"

"Hmm, then I won't go. I'll go back and practice my sword. Tomorrow, no, you'll be punished, so I'll challenge you the day after tomorrow…"

The rustling in the purple bamboo forest continued, the people and shadows gone.

Xu Xiaoshou's will hovered in mid-air, light and shadow intertwined in a daze, as if a thousand years had passed, witnessing the prosperity and decline of the bamboo forest.

Until heavy thuds sounded below his feet.

He looked down and saw the tall, mighty, and domineering Stone Man stomping by, and the Moon Fox reciting poetry and cutting grass, leaving a trail of broken flowers.

The young Yue Gongli was truly handsome.

Walking beside the Stone Man, it was like Beauty and the Beast; even Rao Yaoyao wasn't as good-looking as him.

In contrast, the Stone Man seemed very dull.

But when passing a certain spot, the Stone Man stopped and dropped its head to its back.

With a "clack-clack" of machinery, the Stone Man's head split open, revealing the head of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy.

He had rosy lips and white teeth, regular features, eyes that seemed to twinkle with stars, and a beautiful star pattern tattooed on his forehead.

He looked at the sky, at the void, and slightly twitched the corner of his mouth, smiling silently.

"Why do you think Bei Huai dared to chew on Old Lu alive? No matter what, Old Lu was in human form when he died, wasn't he?" Yue Gongli said to the tall stone man beside him, as he walked and chopped grass.

The Stone Man wasn't beside him.

The Stone Man had fallen behind, stopped at the very end, looking high up at the sky, shielding his eyes, and smiling:

"It's really dazzling. The sunlight in Yunshan Imperial Realm today is blinding…"