Chapter 1819: Emperor War

"So accurate!"

Through the imprint left in the Han Palace Emperor Realm, Xu Xiaoshou knew what was happening in Tingyu Pavilion at that moment.

He was surprised that Yue Gongli had emerged from the Divine Ruins and was performing miraculously.

Was this truly Yama marking names for death?

Dai'er, Yue Gonghui...

Only this Moon Fox lacked the Dao of Life and mastery of weaving, so he couldn't tell at a glance that those were two Tianji puppets.

But by intuition alone, he almost had Dao Qiongcang caught!

"What a pity."

The super-Dao transformation of the Dao of Memory was truly terrifying in any non-combat scenario.

Xu Xiaoshou watched helplessly as Yue Gongli soul-searched Dai'er and Yue Gonghui, only to conclude that "he is very suspicious."

If only you weren't intimidated by Dao Qiongcang, and had been a bit more confident, directly obliterating them...

Er, for Dao Qiongcang, that would merely be the loss of two Tianji puppets.

However, it had been so long since the Divine Ruins, yet Yue Gongli still hadn't realized that the flamboyant old Dao's Dao of Memory had super-Dao transformed?

Hmm, it's also possible he realized it, but without a similar super-Dao transformed insight to resist, such as the Dao of Intent, his memory was secretly replaced again?

"Truly disgusting."

Even separated by an entire Saint Emperor Secret Realm, Xu Xiaoshou felt Dao Qiongcang's trickiness.

When he left, he blurred the consciousness of all the maids in Tingyu Pavilion during their fantasy time, not adding unnecessary details.

But Bing'er actually remembered the general process...

This could only be a smokescreen released by the flamboyant old Dao to protect himself, or rather, to protect the Tianji puppet "Dao Dai'er."

The effect was also excellent.

Not only did it buy time.

It also shifted the blame onto him, thereby removing the possibility of the Tianji puppets being incidentally discovered during Yue Gongli's various pursuits.

"But never mind, don't burn all bridges."

Seeing the flamboyant old Dao working so hard to protect himself.

Out of consideration for being friends and having taken so many of his memory imprints, Xu Xiaoshou generously displayed his aura.

He had transmitted into Wurao Emperor Realm openly using Hua Zhiyao's identity token and the persona of a passing elder.

For a while, he believed no one could catch him.

This self-exposure was purely to cover for Dao Qiongcang, and it also helped him out of a pressing situation.

"My Dao, I hope you remember my kindness..."

No longer focusing on Tingyu Pavilion, now in Wurao, Xu Xiaoshou was polluting the memory imprints here while surveying his surroundings. His first reaction was:

"So desolate!"

Looking around, there were ruined walls and widespread devastation.

Compared to the fragrant and lively Tingyu Pavilion, Wurao Emperor Realm was simply a wasteland.

Mountains collapsed, vegetation withered, rivers and lakes dried up... there wasn't even a hint of vitality here, only the pervasive traces of post-war destruction.

On the ground remained various large pits and abysses, stretching for thousands of miles, as if struck by giant meteorites, along with crisscrossing sword marks.

It was not difficult to see that these were left by the great battle between Hua Changdeng and Yu Lao.

The battle traces spread from east to west, from south to north. It was truly not their home, and no one called for a halt; both sides fought without reservation.

And the suffering ones were naturally the Wurao tribesmen who had lost the protection of a Saint Emperor.

"Where are the people?"

All around, bones were piled high, only ravens and vultures came and went; not a single living person was seen.

Xu Xiaoshou ascended to the sky in a single step, crossing thousands of miles in an instant, yet still could not leave the "battlefield."

He bent down and picked up a handful of earth.

The yellow earth of Wurao carried the longest memories of this place, witnessing all the events, big and small, that had occurred here.

Xu Xiaoshou felt something and, with Grotesque Trick, kneaded himself into the yellow earth, blending into this land.

Then, using his three Dao of Body, Spirit, and Intent for insight, he "assimilated" himself into the desolate land of Wurao, tracing back to the past.

"Boom!"

His thoughts trembled, and he saw the sky裂, a heaven-shrouding shadow sweeping across, only the wings of a great Roc, its full form difficult to discern.

He heard Yu Lao's voice: "Hua Changdeng, my ascension to Saint Emperor was just an accident; I do not wish to contend with you, Yunshan, and other clans for this land of Wurao. Why are you so aggressive?"

As the great Roc passed, bloody rain fell from the sky.

At this time, Yu Lao was already severely wounded, covered in blood. His voice was full of indignation, yet also a hint of helplessness.

A white-robed figure floated from afar, carrying a lantern in his left hand and a sword in his right, his posture elegant and carefree:

"Since you've ascended to Saint Emperor and climbed the Heavenly Ladder, your ambition is evident. And now, wounded by the Ghost Hunting Sword, you speak of 'not wishing'..."

He clearly didn't believe Yu Lao's words, shaking his head slightly, and asserted:

"Having fought to this point, there will be no good end."

Yu Lao was furious, his great Roc wings spread, stirring up monstrous waves.

The power of a Saint Emperor roared through the air, ravaging Dao techniques and wreaking havoc, but when it reached Hua Changdeng, three swords appeared around him.

Those swords were illusory, dark all over, arranged in a San Cai formation.

With the three swords protecting him, Hua Changdeng was untouched by the Saint Emperor's power. Instead, the Ghost Hunting Sword in his hand slowly slashed, and a sword before his chest shone with a faint, bright light.

"Woo—"

It was not the cry of a Kun, but the wail of a fierce ghost.

The chilling sword light pierced through the air, severing the great Roc's left wing with one strike, leaving terrifying, entangled sword intent in its wound.

The Ghost of Sword Intent!

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes narrowed.

This sword was too strong; even if casually cast, Saint Emperor Yu Kunpeng was completely unable to withstand it, his Kunpeng defense like paper.

And after his wing was severed, the sword intent crisscrossed the wound, clearly preventing the restoration of vitality.

Xu Xiaoshou had last seen such a situation on Ba Zun'an.

Ba Zun'an's body contained terrifying, entangled sword qi.

Although not as potent as what Hua Changdeng displayed now, it constantly tortured the body.

But Ba Zun'an was Ba Zun'an after all.

He stubbornly used this as a foundation to cultivate an undying sword body, compensating for his innate physical deficiencies, and pushing himself further.

However...

How many Ba Zun'ans were there in the world?

Yu Lao was utterly overwhelmed by the damage of a single Sword Intent Ghost, immediately crying out in distress, stumbling backward and shouting in exasperation:

"I don't know why!"

"I didn't even want to become this Saint Emperor, but then suddenly I did, and suddenly I climbed this Heavenly Ladder. This was not my intention!"

His voice was filled with pain, and the confusion of not understanding the cause and effect:

"My home is in Nanming; I never wanted to mess around in your Saint Emperor Secret Realm. If I did, why would I have served as a Kunpeng Divine Envoy before?"

"I could have just entered your Yunshan and become a Saint Emperor Emissary of the Dao; wouldn't that have been even more comfortable?"

Hua Changdeng clearly didn't believe him, continuing to pursue with his sword:

"When a bird is about to die, its cries are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good."

His "good" here obviously didn't mean Yu Lao's words were credible, but merely that they sounded pleasant,

Pleasant to hear, but not from the heart.

After all, judging from Yu Lao's actions,

Becoming a Saint Emperor, ascending the Heavenly Ladder, and seizing Wurao were all undeniable facts.

"Annoying! Annoying! Annoying!"

Yu Lao bellowed a few irritable curses, knowing that explanations were futile and fighting was useless, so he could only flee desperately.

The great Roc transformed into a giant Kun, sinking into the deep sea, vanishing into Wurao's vast ocean of Dao as it plunged.

"You, have nowhere to hide."

Hua Changdeng murmured softly.

While he was indeed tricked by Xu Xiaoshou in the "詭" (Guai/Deception) of Intent, unable to even grasp his shadow.

But in a combat environment, this contemporary foremost Saint Emperor of ancient sword cultivation was truly too comprehensive!

The three Sword Ghosts around him shimmered continuously, and Hua Changdeng's body merged with intent, his intent returning to spirit, completely unleashing his combat form:

"Fengdu rises, Wangchuan appears!"

With a single roar, Wurao Emperor Realm reversed day and night, and Yin and Yang became chaotic.

Fengdu's phenomena soared everywhere, the eighteen layers of hell structure formed, with towering ghost towers and dense forests of gloomy palaces.

The Ten Yama Kings, some holding edicts, some bearing seals, some carrying chains, some hanging knives... each hundreds of feet tall, looked down upon the Underworld. As soon as they appeared, they commanded hundreds of ghosts.

Thus, hundreds of ghosts roamed at night, howling as they passed, and wherever they went, the living avoided them, and the dead detoured.

The Wangchuan River surged endlessly, overflowing into the eighteen layers of hell, submerging everything.

Wurao Emperor Realm was directly submerged by the turbid red water, and the spirits of life and death floated within.

The rules and Dao of this realm were placed within the boundless Wangchuan, so the Kunpeng, naturally hidden beneath the deep sea of Dao, was like a fish throwing itself into a net, also appearing beneath this sea of suffering.

"Hua! Chang! Deng!"

Yu Lao's cries were full of despair.

He had clearly used all his abilities, but as fellow Saint Emperors, the Kunpeng Saint Emperor reigned supreme over the cosmos, while the Yunshan Saint Emperor covered the sky with one hand.

One down, one up.

No matter how much Yu Lao struggled, he was like a clown, utterly unable to escape Hua Changdeng's grasp.

Piled bones, a hundred-ghost altar.

Eerie karmic fires, the Underworld could be cultivated.

"Die!"

The Wangchuan River built a towering hundred-ghost altar, reaching into the black sky, suppressing all Daos. Hua Changdeng stood on the altar, transforming into the Lord of Fengdu.

The Ghost Hunting Sword in his hand slashed down, strike after strike.

Beneath the boundless Wangchuan River, the Kun beasts wailed incessantly, blood bubbling and surging, wave after wave.

The surging, roaring aura of death not only engulfed Yu Lao in the Wangchuan but also made Xu Xiaoshou, who had transformed into a handful of yellow earth, feel an overwhelming suffocation.

"Strong..."

Terrifyingly strong!

Beyond measure!

Hua Changdeng wielded his sword with effortless artistry.

But the imposing aura of the Lord of Fengdu, looking down from above, was like seeing a bright moon; feeling like a mere duckweed before it, truly unshakeable.

"Even the compassionate Void Ancestor could not have been more than this, could he?"

"Is this the combat power that once forcefully halted Ba Zun'an's rapid advance, severed two of his fingers, and left a scar on his neck?"

Xu Xiaoshou realized that all along, he had never truly witnessed the frontal combat power of the most dazzling ancient sword cultivator in his so-called "unlimited" full-strength state.

Gu Lao forcibly opened the Mysterious Gate, only catching a glimpse of its mystery, unable to cast even half a sword.

Ba Zun'an's Sword-Self hastened to the Divine Ruins, merely offering a brief commentary; in reality, he still had to rely on his own sword to repel Su Yin.

These were all within his cognitive range.

Hua Changdeng had clearly surpassed Xu Xiaoshou's understanding of combat power.

Compared to Rao Wangzhe, who was extinguished by a mere gust of wind and perished upon encountering evil, this Yunshan Saint Emperor's displayed combat power was thousands, even tens of thousands of times higher!

Liu Fuyu once unleashed a Fengdu sword strike.

That was the peak application of ghost swordsmanship Xu Xiaoshou had witnessed in the real world, aside from the imagery in the "Sword Contemplation Canon."

However, Liu Fuyu's Fengdu sword strike, compared to Hua Changdeng's Lord of Fengdu, was like a grain of rice to the ocean, a speck of dust to the galaxy; they were incomparable.

"Can a thirty-year gap truly be this absurd? Is this the 'unlimited' of ancient sword cultivators?"

In the Grotesque Trick state, Xu Xiaoshou, transformed into yellow earth, had no scalp, yet still felt a chilling sensation on his non-existent scalp.

No wonder Ba Zun'an frankly admitted that he was inferior in the Dao of ghost swordsmanship.

No wonder Ba Zun'an once said that if one wanted to learn ghost swordsmanship, there was only one Lord of Fengdu in this era; simply observe Hua Changdeng's swordsmanship.

At this moment, after witnessing Hua Changdeng's performance in severing Yu Lao with his sword, Xu Xiaoshou even began to worry about Old Eight.

This chief Saint Slave, who had journeyed from Tiansang Spirit Palace to the Ghost Buddha Realm, had always been the stabilizing force for those in the Five Domains who resisted the cage and pursued freedom.

Even though he had physical defects and unstable conditions, and rarely participated in major battles, mostly strategizing from behind the scenes, his performance was still miraculous.

His existence was a miracle, a possibility forcibly squeezed out of the impossible.

It was his youthful sword strike that tore open a corner of the cage forged by the five great Saint Emperor noble families, allowing light to pour in, and only then did the weeds grow luxuriantly under the shade of the great tree.

But can one tree and one clump of grass truly contend against an entire era, and these divine Buddhas on the Heavenly Ladder outside this world?

Like a thirsty sponge, he frantically absorbed the nourishment of ghost swordsmanship.

Xu Xiaoshou no longer wanted to think too much. Immersed in Fengdu, he empathized and frantically analyzed the core of Hua Changdeng's "Lord of Fengdu" sword strike.

Including the three Sword Ghosts—Body Ghost, Spirit Ghost, and Intent Ghost—he was secretly learning.

His three Dao of Body, Spirit, and Intent were super-Dao transformed. If he couldn't create them himself, he refused to believe he couldn't secretly learn these three Sword Ghosts from Hua Changdeng.

What was learned secretly could certainly not be surpassed!

But Xu Xiaoshou was not just about Sword Ghosts; he was also studying Ba Zun'an's Sword-Self.

He knew that only when these three Sword Ghosts and two Sword-Self strikes were all integrated into the Named Sword Arts, even if Ba Zun'an were to be defeated at that time, would he have the possibility of surpassing his master.

"Hmm?"

On the Hundred Ghost Altar, Hua Changdeng, wielding the peerless Ghost Hunting Sword, suddenly let out a light surprised sound.

He stopped his actions, making a gesture entirely different from what was in the Wurao yellow earth's memory—he looked at the yellow earth!

"Xu Xiaoshou?"

As these words left his mouth, Xu Xiaoshou knew he was exposed.

Grotesque Trick, turning illusion into reality, had the effect of deceiving heaven and crossing the sea.

Moreover, all three of Xu Xiaoshou's Dao—Body, Spirit, and Intent—were super-Dao transformed; pretending to be a handful of earth was incredibly simple.

But Hua Changdeng could see through it...

Within expectation, within reason!

This was no ordinary person; perhaps in terms of intent guidance, he was far superior, but how powerful was a Saint Emperor's perception?

Being able to snoop for so long, Grotesque Trick had done a great service, and the roundabout guidance of the Intent Dao plate had played a huge role—it was already a win!

At this point, Xu Xiaoshou no longer hid, suddenly rising from a handful of yellow earth and returning to his original form:

"Haha, you found me, Sword Immortal Hua, you are truly strong."

The wind roared, and Wurao surged with clouds.

"There!"

From a distant place, Yue Gongli's voice came.

Soon after Xu Xiaoshou revealed himself, two figures swept through the air: the white-robed Hua Changdeng and the resplendent-robed Yue Gongli, undoubtedly.

"Xu Xiaoshou..."

Without another word, Hua Changdeng pressed down on the Ghost Hunting Sword, about to strike.

Yue Gongli pulled his arm. Compared to Hua Changdeng's coldness, he was truly a fox, surprisingly showing overjoyed excitement:

"Grandpa Shou?!"

His voice was full of pleasant surprise, as if an old friend reunited after a long separation, wishing to celebrate grandly:

"Wasn't the Heavenly Ladder cut off by grievances?"

"You actually managed to come up, you're stronger than that flamboyant old Dao!"

He looked around, seeing no abnormalities, and seemingly no arrangements by Xu Xiaoshou.

Of course, Yue Gongli knew that all arrangements were futile before Hua Changdeng's true self. After feigning pleasantries, he continued:

"Grandpa Shou, it's been half a year since we parted ways in the Divine Ruins; I've missed you terribly.

"This time, coming to the Saint Emperor Secret Realm, you didn't even come to Han Palace Emperor Realm, or to Tingyu Pavilion to find me, nor did you give me a chance to fulfill my host's duties..."

He seemed to have completely forgotten how he had targeted the maids and Yue Gonghui in Tingyu Pavilion to search for Xu Xiaoshou.

As he spoke, he turned to Hua Changdeng, speaking earnestly:

"Brother Hua, give me some face. Let me have a heartfelt chat with Grandpa Shou first. Your grievances can be discussed later."

"Of course, I won't ask for your face for nothing. As long as Grandpa Shou graces my Tingyu Pavilion with his presence, my Han Palace Emperor Realm will give up its share of Wurao."

"From now on, if Yunshan needs anything, it's just a word; I, Yue Gongli, will be there whenever called!"

He didn't sound like he was joking.

Having said that, he pulled out a scroll of Saint Emperor Golden Edict from his sleeve and directly tore it in front of the two, leaving no room for regret:

"By this Saint Emperor Golden Edict, I swear this oath. My words are true; I only wish to be friends with Grandpa Shou, and for you, Hua Changdeng, to temporarily step back this once."

"Gentlemen, what do you think?"