Chapter 1915: In Cahoots

"Is this a reminder?

Dao Qiongcang was convinced that his extreme state of 'intention' originated from Nuo. Was he trying to subtly inform me that he might have become Nuo's contingency plan?

Or was he trying to elicit more of my understanding of Nuo through this question?

Dao Qiongcang's concerns are certainly a possibility.

But Xu Xiaoshou also has his own judgment. Based on what he saw and heard in the worlds beyond those three doors, he has a general understanding of Nuo.

Nuo is a good person.

Compared to his understanding, the Ten Patriarchs and Dao Qiongcang might have to admit they "don't know much."

After all, they haven't achieved 'super-daoization' in the Way of Time and don't realize that what they saw also involved the original Patriarch of Time and Patriarch of Names.

All their interactions with Nuo should have been "passive" contact, while his own could be considered half "actively triggered."

The unknown is the greatest fear.

It's easy to understand why Dao Qiongcang has such concerns.

And what he thinks, his level of understanding of Nuo, is also not difficult to verify. All he needs to do is ask about his general process of contact with Nuo, or even just whether it was "active" or "passive."

Xu Xiaoshou probed, "My considerations aren't important. But you, after hearing you say so much, it doesn't sound like hearsay. Have you met Nuo?"

Only the Ten Patriarchs have met Nuo.

Some of the Ten Patriarchs might never have met Nuo even until reincarnation.

But Xu Xiaoshou was convinced that Dao Qiongcang was no ordinary person. For others, meeting Nuo at this realm would be preposterous, but for him, it might not be impossible?

"I... I don't know if this counts as having met..." On the other end of the Spirit Resonance Technique, Dao Qiongcang seemed very hesitant.

But it was clearly a manifestation of his determination to ask, to speak, and to be frank. He spoke more proactively and even touched upon private matters:

"Perhaps it's the special nature of the Way of Memory. In the year I underwent super-daoization in this Way, I accidentally saw a person I had never met before on the long river of memory."

"You should know that whether it's memory or intention, there's an extremely clear judgment of oneself and the self in others' perceptions, and conversely, of all people, things, and events outside oneself—no less than the Ten Patriarchs."

"Even if he was blurry, I could affirm that I had never seen this person, nor heard legends of this person in this world, yet he could still voluntarily enter my long river of memory. From this perspective, he couldn't have been a Saint Emperor; He was an Ancestor God!"

"Blurry..."

Xu Xiaoshou's heart stirred.

This shouldn't be a trap deliberately set by Dao Qiongcang.

After all, unlike the Ten Patriarchs, when Dao Qiongcang met Nuo, he was still a "rookie" whose cultivation realm wasn't much different from his current level—purely in terms of cultivation realm.

And indeed, he didn't have the world behind the three doors, meaning the assistance of the Patriarch of Time. Most likely, the Ten Patriarchs could see Nuo clearly, but Dao Qiongcang couldn't even discern his appearance or clothes.

"He was obscured by white mist, and I was far away from him, unable to fathom him, so I just waited quietly."

"White mist..."

These words reminded Xu Xiaoshou of the world behind the second door.

At that time, there was also immense resistance, and even advancing his perception was extremely difficult. Fortunately, he seemed to have benefited from the Patriarch of Time's influence, and later he saw clearly.

"He called himself 'Xihe' (戏鹤), tall in stature, spoke sincerely, and possessed an arrogance no less than Bazun An's thirty years ago."

"After appearing, he completely disregarded how I might react, first giving great affirmation to my Way of Memory, and then wanting to help me cultivate 'I'."

"That's very Nuo-like..."

Xu Xiaoshou smiled as he listened.

Such a sudden windfall, such an uncontrolled event, Dao Qiongcang must have been terrified and likely suffered nightmares for a long time.

"You refused?" Xu Xiaoshou asked. This sounded like a choice Dao Qiongcang would make.

"No!"

But Dao Qiongcang firmly denied, "Although there were only a few words, I could feel that this person..."

He paused for a moment, "Xu Xiaoshou, do you believe in intuition?"

It was hard to imagine these words coming from a man who mastered heavenly secrets, was unfathomable, and was always calculating.

Xu Xiaoshou found it both absurd and reasonable.

Because coincidentally, he also greatly believed in intuition. In most cases, after having a general direction, intuition would lead first, and then he would act according to circumstances.

"No."

"Neither do I."

Dao Qiongcang instantly replied, then changed the subject: "But I strongly believe in variables, and I believe that blessings and misfortunes are intertwined. Coincidentally, I also know some divination techniques..."

"Cheating, are you?"

"But is that stuff really accurate?"

"What did you divine?"

"Weiji (未济)."

"What's that?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Xu Xiaoshou felt scorned. Was this showy old Daoist cursing him in a roundabout way? "If you don't tell me, how would you know I don't understand?"

Dao Qiongcang recited: "Li (离) fire blazes, Kan (坎) water is gentle, fire above water below, host and guest are distinct. The upper goes higher, the lower goes lower, they don't converge. Yin and Yang are not complete. The river cannot be crossed, things cannot be exhausted, success still lacks a final step, deeds are yet to be carried out..."

"Stop." Xu Xiaoshou had a splitting headache. "Speak in plain language."

"This is the simplest and easiest expression. Master Xu, to put it more plainly, his arrival was too sudden, and what he expressed was too radical. I couldn't accept it for a moment, but I didn't want to directly refuse..."

"So, you strung him along?"

"...Yes."

"Heh, you scoundrel Daoist."

Dao Qiongcang was stunned, momentarily unable to comprehend Xu Xiaoshou's vocabulary. He quickly skipped over this irrelevant topic:

"I chatted with him for a few more sentences and ultimately did not accept his 'cultivation of self.' Instead, I wanted to cultivate something else."

"What was it?" Xu Xiaoshou pressed.

"Heavenly secrets, cannot be revealed." This fellow immediately resumed that tone, never speaking more than he should.

After a pause, he added: "Master Xu isn't curious about why I was able to conceal the birth of my body from heaven and earth? I might as well tell you, he provided some assistance, but not much."

"And the Way of Memory actually makes it very difficult to remember him, especially since I only knew 'Xihe' and not 'Nuo' before, and I almost forgot about this matter."

"It wasn't until I saw you, Master Xu, suddenly return after cultivating the extreme state of 'intention,' that I was slightly alerted. My Xu, you've seen him too, haven't you?"

At this point, Xu Xiaoshou was too lazy to deny it.

Dao Qiongcang's willingness to speak so much indicated that he had some sincerity.

He asked again: "Since you only knew Xihe and not Nuo, and you haven't seen his appearance, how did you connect the two?"

Xu Xiaoshou's insight was subtle.

He was now almost looking at things from a God's perspective, already convinced that Dao Qiongcang, the Ten Patriarchs, and others did not understand Nuo as deeply as he did.

Dao Qiongcang was even more caught in the midst of it—if he hadn't even seen the Nuo clothing or the Nuo mask, "Xihe" and "Nuo" would have absolutely no connection!

Dao Qiongcang: "Heavenly secrets, cannot be revealed."

This guy... Xu Xiaoshou thought of Bai Zhou. Could it be that he obtained the images of the Demon Ancestor, Nuo Ancestor, and others from Lingbai Zhi Wu's memory, and finally connected them?

It's not important.

He was too lazy to waste more words with this fiend. He felt that if they continued chatting, he might end up revealing some information himself. He immediately ended the small talk and returned to the main topic:

"So, after saying all this, my Daoist, what exactly do you want to convey in the end?"

A light laugh came through the Spirit Resonance Technique. Dao Qiongcang was very sincere:

"Master Xu, besides myself, even formidable figures like the Eight Gods of Cao, I haven't seen any trace of Nuo on them."

"This proves that you and I are the same kind of people—geniuses."

"Let's cooperate!"

Does this "cooperation" refer to the highest level of cooperation that transcends the Three Patriarchs, or superficial cooperation while secretly continuing to engage in petty schemes?

If it's the latter, there's no need.

If it's the former, to be honest, Xu Xiaoshou didn't trust Dao Qiongcang either.

"Alright, how do we cooperate?" Xu Xiaoshou calculated with his fingers and could also deduce a "Weiji." He planned to use the enemy's strength to control the enemy, stringing Dao along first, and dealing with other matters later.

"No, no, no, my Xu, you and I know each other thoroughly. I have opened my heart to this extent. This 'cooperation' does not want to be limited to the surface."

"Oh? Then, deep cooperation, how deep would it be?" Xu Xiaoshou found it amusing. Did this flamboyant old Daoist still think he had "credibility" in front of outsiders?

"Master Xu, when we first met on Void Island, I didn't deliberately target you, and I even frankly stated that the door to the Sacred God Palace Hall would always be open for you, right?"

"This..."

"That could be considered true?"

But the various "handshake" patterns afterward were truly terrifying. In any case, this devious Daoist had ill intentions!

"In the Four Symbols Secret Realm, I allied with Bei Huai. By now, Master Xu should know what that means, right? But even so, from sending you from Yujing to Qingyuan Mountain, then to Xingjie, and then to Changde Town... I didn't make a move in the last step. Master Xu can tell, right?"

"This..."

"That could also be considered true."

But even if the town was full of Heavenly Mechanism Puppets, if Dao Qiongcang were to use them against himself, would Kui Leihan stand by idly?

"If I threatened the lives of the two pillars, even if I didn't ultimately harm them, Master Xu, do you think Cao Yihan, without even helping me, and considering you two are strangers, would choose to intervene or stand by and watch?" Dao Qiongcang seemed to have mastered mind-reading.

"Threatening me into cooperation?"

Xu Xiaoshou was amused, his tone suddenly becoming humble:

"Hall Master Dao, at that time, I was just a chess piece, not worth dying for. Bazun An might not have even saved me, right?"

"And you, don't use past kindness as a reason to demand sweetness from me... I'm already a pretty good person for not holding you accountable for what happened back then, don't you think?"

Since it was a negotiation, Dao Qiongcang naturally wouldn't let himself be inferior. He didn't respond to that sentence and continued:

"In the Divine Vestige, how should I put it, we could be considered single-sided, life-and-death confidants who paid the 'friendship fee,' right? Master Xu, between the Three Ancestors, others, and your choice, who do you think I value more?"

Xu Xiaoshou laughed loudly upon hearing this: "How would I know that? I'm not a worm in your belly."

"It's you."

Dao Qiongcang spoke with absolute certainty, revealing true emotion: "Xu Xiaoshou, I value you the most."

The sudden declaration made one feel nauseous.

In the Qian Shi Emperor Realm, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but shiver, trembling as he responded, "Okay, okay, I'll cooperate deeply with you, but how can I trust you?"

Dao Qiongcang was already prepared:

"Master Xu..."

"You and I are not on the same path."

These words were worth pondering.

The implication was that even if the Ancestors eventually contended for the Way, and Dao Qiongcang participated, he wouldn't contend for Xu Xiaoshou's Way?

In other words, Dao Qiongcang truly wanted to contend for the Way of not just one of the Three Ancestors, but perhaps all of them?

What exactly does this guy want to do...?

Xu Xiaoshou indeed felt a sense of crisis.

Compared to making Dao Qiongcang an enemy, whether it was deep cooperation or superficial cooperation, he leaned towards cooperation. His tone became a little more serious:

"What do I need to do?"

"Of course you need to do something." Dao Qiongcang would never talk about cooperation with a useless person. "You don't have to fully trust me or do much, but our cooperation, the most crucial point, is that at the critical moment... Master Xu, you cannot hinder me."

This was a bit overbearing.

What if it conflicted with my interests?

Just as Xu Xiaoshou's thought flashed, Dao Qiongcang spoke again:

"Don't worry, Master Xu, I won't make things difficult for you."

"Since it's deep cooperation, I dare to make a promise in advance to show my determination."

"At that time, if Master Xu wishes for it, whether it's the ways of the various ancestors, external possessions, or anything else, as long as it has no decisive relation to my ultimate goal, even if it affects me or my plan, and requires some sacrifice, I will still help you obtain it."

"As long as you, Xu Xiaoshou, ask, I, Dao Qiongcang, will surely help. I swear by this, how about it?"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart fluttered. He tentatively said, "What if I said I want Bazun An to live... to be deified and become an ancestor, to be two into one, one into zero, to understand myself, to remain completely sound in body, spirit, and mind after the battle with Hua Changdeng, and to live sustainably?"

Dao Qiongcang: "..."

He was left speechless.

Is that "one" condition?

That's a "long sentence" that mixes everything together!

"Master Xu, the battle for the Way is not child's play. If I dared to promise you so much, it would also seem..."

"I agree."

"What?" The sudden change also startled Dao Qiongcang.

"Deep cooperation, I agree. As for your request, I'll listen to you normally, and listen to me at critical moments. If we still need to go our separate ways in the end, we'll discuss it then."

"Good!" Dao Qiongcang's tone deepened, as if a nagging thorn in his heart had been pulled out.

"But in terms of actual action, how will we cooperate, my Daoist, you haven't said yet?" Xu Xiaoshou was not a talker.

Coincidentally, Dao Qiongcang was also a pragmatist. When they were in cahoots, the two could almost breathe through the same nose:

"Information sharing, Master Xu."

"You don't have to tell me everything you have. I only need what you consider crucial, what I might overlook, after all, your extreme state of intention means your sudden inspirations are stronger than mine." Dao Qiongcang paused, "I'll tell you everything I have, what do you think?"

"This..." Xu Xiaoshou's lips curled. Didn't this mean he could say nothing the whole time and enjoy Dao Qiongcang's intelligence for free? "Isn't that a bit unfair?"

"Then it's settled." Dao Qiongcang easily detected his Xu's immense willingness.

"Oh, by the way, since it's deep cooperation, there's one thing I need to discuss with you." Xu Xiaoshou had a flash of inspiration.

"What?"

"It's simple. I'm also cooperating with Dao Peipei. His intelligence and ability are both similar to yours and not inferior to yours. And since you, Dao Qiongcang, and he, Dao Peipei, have a 'Xu Jingting' relationship, if his words and your words contradict, whose should I listen to?"

After asking this, Xu Xiaoshou almost stood up to applaud himself.

Is Dao Qiongcang Dao Peipei?

If so, between Dao Qiongcang and Dao Peipei, which one is the main and which is the secondary?

Of what the flamboyant old Daoist said at the very beginning, which sentences were true, and which were false?

If he dared to answer vaguely, it would mean that this "deep cooperation" was a scam from the start.

Four birds with one stone!

This question truly rendered Dao Qiongcang speechless for a long time.

Xu Xiaoshou waited calmly, just waiting for the flamboyant old Daoist's response, whether he would still dare to prevaricate—"Let's see if I can't stab you to death!"

"Master Xu..."

"Mmm-hmm?"

"This is what I think: if you trust me, listen to him on the surface, but listen to me in secret. I'll mediate what to do; if you trust him, then vice versa, but you have to disguise it well, don't let me see through it."

Xu Xiaoshou was amused and annoyed. You really know how to play games.

"Dao Qiongcang."

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Forgive my dullness, I don't understand such convoluted things. I just need a one-sentence answer."

These words again made Dao Qiongcang fall silent.

After another long pause, he no longer prevaricated, uttering a sentence filled with murderous intent:

"Master Xu..."

"There can only be one Dao Ancestor!"

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