Chapter 1951: Acting Showdown

"Chestnut or peanut, that is the question."

Amidst a sea of flowers, bathed in the scorching sun, everything seemed eternal, and it was easy to forget the passage of time.

Xu Xiaoshou fell into contemplation.

Chestnut implied Yaozu would act directly, confident in suppressing all enemies.

Peanut meant waiting for Mozu to act, then Yaozu would make a move, confident in a reactive strike.

"This guy thinks so highly of himself, not even bothering with Cuiyin, yet he leaves the choice to me?"

"Am I, in His eyes, worthy?"

Just "Xu Xiaoshou" alone was clearly not even fit to carry His shoes.

So, setting aside the choice, Xu Xiaoshou's attention turned to "Mingzu," unsure how much Yaozu knew about Shi, Ming, and Nuo.

On the eve of the great chaos, every single minute and second was precious.

Since Yaozu chose this moment to drag him into Huaxiang Guli, presumably, if nothing unexpected happened, something already had outside.

What happened didn't matter, after all, Bajun'an was there.

But then again...

"Bajun'an should still be waiting for my Scythe of the Reaper."

"If He doesn't receive it, being so astute, He'll easily notice something is wrong with me."

"The Scythe of the Reaper is directly linked to Yaozu. If Old Ba can't tell that Yaozu made a move, then He's not worth His salt."

"My lack of movement is natural in Yaozu's eyes, and Bajun'an should be able to read my signal as 'no big deal'."

"Bajun'an also hasn't moved. From the Three Ancestors' perspective, His striking a single sword across the Five Domains would be too damaging, so not moving is normal. But His signal is actually more obvious..."

Bajun'an definitely still wanted to do something!

This person was never one to sit idly by and wait for death.

In terms of long-term planning, Old Ba might not be as good as Daoqiongcang, but in terms of improvisation and changing strategies within a battle, He was too strong.

Thirty years of enduring hardship and hiding His sword, only taking away Hua Changdeng, yet daring to entrust the remaining mess to himself?

This mess wasn't even a mess; it had just begun!

The tacit understanding of mutual trust between Xu and Ba had been forged since the time they caused trouble in Dongtian Wangcheng.

It just so happened that Bajun'an probably still had a plan, although His time was running out.

It also happened that he had met Yaozu, caught at this critical juncture.

Just waiting for me to ask something...

To have a true friend in life is truly a blessing!

Xu Xiaoshou concluded that this "unforeseen convergence" meant he should be able to think along the same lines as Bajun'an and then give Yaozu a big surprise.

"As long as Bajun'an doesn't enter the Time Realm, everything is negotiable."

"Mingzu?"

Snapping back to reality, his gaze fell on the old man, and Xu Xiaoshou appropriately revealed a hint of confusion: "An Ancestor God of the Heavenly Realm?"

The old man held a chestnut in one hand and a peanut in the other, weighing them up and down, expressionless, His eyes making one's spine tingle:

"So your focus is on 'Mingzu,' not on the choice."

His expression was so composed that it was hard to tell if He truly wanted a choice between two options, or if He was using the chestnut and peanut as a pretext to probe for more information about Mingzu.

Or perhaps, He knew everything, and this was a warning?

Xu Xiaoshou immediately dismissed the last possibility.

If a high-ranking individual truly knew everything about a low-ranking one, there would be no need to probe with questions; He could simply eliminate him.

So, the first point.

How much Yaozu knew about Mingzu was unknown, but it was definitely not a complete understanding.

He was testing!

"Senior, are you truly letting me choose?"

Xu Xiaoshou smiled bitterly, looking helplessly at the chestnut and peanut, answering with a question: "Or, to put it another way, can my choice truly influence the decision you've already made?"

Yes, when the chestnut and peanut were offered, Yaozu must have already made a decision.

Xu Xiaoshou's choice simply didn't matter.

Every seemingly two-option or multiple-option choice, in reality, during the "giving" process, the "victim's" path is reduced to only one.

Strive to survive.

Beyond that, there is no other possibility.

Having sparred with Daoqiongcang for so long, how could Xu Xiaoshou not understand this principle?

If he really got caught up in Yaozu's game, he wouldn't be called Xu.

"Little fellow, from your expression, it seems you've never heard of 'Mingzu'."

Yaozu "heh'd"了一声, suddenly stood up, stretched, and relaxed considerably.

He again proactively mentioned "Mingzu," and no longer bothered to pretend, throwing the unimportant chestnut and peanut onto the ground:

"Indeed, your opinion doesn't matter at all."

The old槐树 rustled in the wind, and Yaozu paced forward, walking around Xu Xiaoshou.

His tone, from this moment on, became incredibly certain:

"Actually, you know Mingzu."

"You deliberately feign ignorance, waiting to get something from me, the old man, because you don't know how much I know about Shi, Ming, and Nuo."

Xu Xiaoshou remained unmoved.

Even when the old man suddenly turned his head and placed it in front of him, he wasn't particularly startled, just slightly.

Had something happened outside? Yaozu was suddenly so "active"... Xu Xiaoshou felt the frequency of "Qianshen Liaoluan Shengfa" accelerating, as if preventing him from getting any information from the outside world.

He simply put aside all curiosity, quietly watching Yaozu perform, and soon the old man spoke again:

"I know that no matter how much you maneuver, you'll eventually admit that you actually know Mingzu."

"Staying here to meet me, the old man, is actually because you are also very curious about what other trump cards I, the old man, have."

He paused, and the old man's eyes held a touch of amusement.

The commotion outside seemed truly significant; He had abandoned His silent nature and become a chatterbox.

And not just an ordinary chatterbox, but like a schemer who had been silent for too long, seeing success within reach, and upon finding a listener, yearned to reveal everything, a pathological chatterbox:

"But when you've understood enough, you'll falsely claim that the Mingzu you know originated from Mozu."

"I, the old man, know everything, I just don't say it. You've met Mozu in the river of time, haven't you?"

Xu Xiaoshou's face was expressionless.

Not even a single ripple in his soul.

It went in one ear and out the other. The only thing he couldn't be sure of was whether this state was Yaozu's true nature, or just a facade He put on to elicit information.

"You're wrong, Xu Xiaoshou."

"You're too young, too naive."

The old man took off his straw hat; like Elder Sang, he was a bit bald.

Xu Xiaoshou focused on trivial matters to distract himself and avoid revealing anything, like pondering this question:

It seemed everyone who wore a hat was bald?

As the old man spoke, he suddenly stopped, his eyes gleaming, locking onto the young man in front of him, and questioned:

"You tried to layer yourself, to paint yourself as a mere corner—seemingly ignorant of Mingzu, but actually knowing Mingzu, and then trying to make others speculate that you are actually Mingzu."

"And by doing so, contend with the Three Ancestors?"

The old man burst into laughter, as if there was good news from outside, and the situation was developing as He had anticipated.

His mood had completely relaxed.

After laughing, His expression returned to seriousness, and He said firmly: "Then, essentially, you are not Mingzu."

You guessed it, call me Grandpa Xu!

Xu Xiaoshou raised his eyes, looking directly at the old man.

The old man was tired of seeing this young man play dumb, and sighed and shook his head, somewhat emotional, and somewhat fervent:

"Yes, He has fallen, and indeed, He cannot return."

"Xu Xiaoshou, what do you say?"

At this moment, Xu Xiaoshou could confirm three things:

First, Yaozu also had that suspicious element like the flamboyant old Dao, and in high concentration. Did the schemer constantly live in a battle with Himself?

Second, He did know a lot about Mingzu, but if He had three-tenths of the truth, that would be good. Otherwise, there would be no need for such pretense, putting on this act that Xu Xiaoshou wasn't sure was real.

Third, whether it was genuine emotion or acting, the only thing Yaozu wanted to confirm by summoning him was: Mozu, Cuiyin, Bajun'an, He could handle them, but would the existence of Mingzu potentially become a variable?

The truth revealed!

Once Yaozu's purpose was clear, things became much simpler.

The so-called "Xu Xiaoshou" was merely an insignificant pawn, never taken seriously by Yaozu.

But Mingzu, who had stood shoulder to shoulder with Shi and Nuo, if He were to erupt at a crucial moment, regardless of whether He had returned to zero, He should indeed be able to deliver a more shocking impact than Bajun'an.

After all, He had lived longer, was more ancient, and His preparations were certainly more thorough.

Shennong Baicao, I can tell what color your underwear is!

But...

It's not enough!

Yaozu's proactive stance, handing the initiative to himself, was essentially still a test to see if he was Mingzu's hidden move, if there was a possibility of eruption.

But what He had revealed, Xu Xiaoshou felt was not enough.

He seemed numb from a string of conspiracy theories, his eyes glazed over, and he opened his mouth to speak: "Senior, what are you saying..."

"Young man, you've disguised yourself very well."

Yaozu suddenly turned back, forcefully interrupting, and said with a sneer:

"But the one thing you don't know is that Xihou is a friend of mine, the old man."

"I know much more than you, and more than Mo and Cui imagine!"

Xihou?

As these two words were uttered, Xu Xiaoshou's last trace of apprehension completely vanished.

Shizu fragmented into thousands, Yaozu felt He could handle it.

His hidden move, Mingzu, He was certain was within himself, and since it hadn't erupted even now, it meant that even if exposed, it wasn't strong, and Yaozu could handle it.

Finally, there was "Dian Nuo," who, with a casual remark, still wanted to test...

He was too stable!

No wonder He could set up the Yaogui Shengmie formation, just half a step away from success.

But success lay in stability, and failure lay in stability!

He didn't know that Xu Xiaoshou was fully aware that only Shi and Mingzu truly knew the essence of Dian Nuo.

And as for Dian Nuo's "friends," there were roughly only two outcomes:

Either invincible amidst the great catastrophe, or vanishing into thin air; there was simply no such situation of lurking in the Shengshan Continent for so many years, conspiring with Mozu and Cuiyin.

Old man, your performance is over.

My evaluation is that the person is very timid and the acting is very clumsy.

But it worked, because the last sentence happened to provoke Mingzu, so next, it's my turn to appear!

"Xihou, what else..."

Xu Xiaoshou's slightly bewildered gaze lifted, and halfway through his sentence, he suddenly choked.

"Ugh!"

He was like someone who had accidentally swallowed a fishbone, his eyes rolled back in pain, and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

His fists clenched, as if resisting a malicious intrusion.

"Hmm?"

Yaozu's eyebrows rose high, and a flicker of suspicion crossed His sallow face.

He didn't believe it.

But in just the blink of an eye, He saw the young man, whose bone age was no more than twenty, his eyeballs fall back, his eyelids droop, and his slightly closed gaze return, actually carrying a hint of condescending scrutiny.

It changed!

His... His eyes, had completely changed!

Indifferent, desolate, ancient.

Devoid of any emotion or color that a mortal life form should possess.

Xu Xiaoshou was still Xu Xiaoshou, and this body was still the ant-like body He had created from life force.

But even if the change was only for a brief moment, how could Yaozu not perceive that uncanny feeling of having experienced the vicissitudes of time, out of place in this world?

Xu Xiaoshou's life rings were only twenty years old.

How could twenty years of life experience convey the despair and loneliness of Mingzu, who was immersed in the river of time and unable to escape for countless epochs?

From Kong Yuhen swallowing the Flower of Life...

From tracing the existence of Mingzu beyond the Ten Ancestors in the life patterns of the sunflower Kong Yuhen...

From piecing together the fragmented clues of Kong Yuhen across various eras, the fact that Mingzu had perished...

From ancient times to the present!

Yaozu had tried countless times.

He had made a move against every "suspected Mingzu successor," not targeting them, but merely testing.

Mingzu had never appeared.

And now, with Xu Xiaoshou.

He was still using that shallow acting from the past, but He had managed to trick out the true Mingzu!

Yaozu's mood was complex, He truly didn't know how to feel.

His gaze was fixed on this "Xu Xiaoshou," and He subtly retreated half a step.

Life energy quietly overflowed from the soles of His feet, dividing into every vibrant and luscious flower in the sea.

And then quietly overflowed the sea of flowers, dividing into thousands, flowing back to the Shengshan Continent, hidden everywhere.

He didn't believe it!

Still didn't believe it!

Even if it was true, what if it was fake? What if!

Yaozu did not turn and leave; after so many years of vigilance, He had waited for the "suspected arrival of Mingzu," how could He choose to retreat?

Moreover, at this moment when He was about to succeed, how could He retreat?

Why did He appear at this time!

"Rustle..."

The wind fell silent over the sea of flowers, and all sounds ceased.

Yaozu remained composed, His gaze meeting the indifferent and ancient gaze that looked down upon Him.

He could remain composed for ten thousand years!

Could Xu Xiaoshou last ten thousand years? He hadn't even lived for ten thousand years!

One breath passed...

Ten breaths passed...

The world of flowers, with its gentle breeze and bright sunshine, truly made it easy to forget the passage of time.

It was as if in the blink of an eye, ten thousand years had passed!

Yaozu remained calm and composed, then suddenly, at one point, He saw "Xu Xiaoshou's" eyelashes tremble, and His gaze shifted.

It moved!

He moved!

He was not He, but only him, nothing more!

No... After a tremor in His thoughts, Yaozu suddenly saw "Xu Xiaoshou's" gaze move downwards, falling onto His right foot, which He had previously retreated.

His gaze was very calm.

There was not a single trace of "Ming" power externalized from Him.

After His appearance, He didn't even bring about the slightest ripple or change in this world, as if He was here, was in the past, is in the present, and will be in the future.

Ming, ubiquitous!

Returned to zero?

Not returned to zero?

Even if returned to zero, what then?

No, if He returned to zero, He could indeed obstruct me...

"Noisy."

A sudden clap of thunder, echoing in the dead silence, startled Yaozu awake.

He came back to His senses, realizing that in that instant, He had lost Himself?

In that moment, the sea of flowers world exploded.

Every flower, unable to suppress its expression and emotion, manifested facial features, distorted into grotesque shapes, as if Mingzu had ripped away their veil of shame, screaming out every repressed gasp of surprise from Yaozu during this confrontation:

"Impossible!"

"Not Mingzu!"

"How can one who has perished be revived?"

The life energy that had quietly dispersed, the escape routes He had subtly laid for Himself, all were seen through.

Among the various medicines in the sea of flowers, their life patterns lit up...

Could Xu Xiaoshou actually achieve this?

Yes, he could, he was already beyond the Dao of Life.

He didn't believe it!

Still didn't believe it!

How could Yaozu be intimidated?

Since the confrontation had failed, He no longer bothered to pretend. While Mingzu's appearance was indeed astonishing, what did it matter?

His lips moved, just about to speak.

But opposite Him, "Xu Xiaoshou" suddenly moved again, just raising a finger.

Yaozu was like a startled bird; in His mind, He had already retreated tens of thousands of li, escaping this place, fearing even a speck of Ming's contamination.

He froze.

He was indeed stable enough, His feet like lead, firmly rooted to the spot.

Sure enough, Mingzu wasn't targeting Him; He merely pointed remotely at a certain plant in the sea of flowers behind Him, His tone gaining a hint of approval:

"Well cultivated."

Yaozu was slow to turn His head, and when He did, His pupils rapidly dilated.

That was...

Jiushi Pojie Guo!