Chapter 1974: Violent Beating

The sound still lingered in his ears, yet everything had changed.

Stripping away intentions was merely an attempt; when Watchman’s voice was truly extracted, Xu Xiaoshou felt a bit dazed.

“Old man, long time no see…”

Watchman was one of the rare individuals who truly held steadfast.

From what Xu Xiaoshou remembered, Watchman seemed to have dedicated his entire life to the frontier, suppressing countless ferocious ghost beasts.

Their first meeting was at the Heavenly Sang City Lord’s Manor, where Watchman tried to capture Xu Xiaoshou, believing him to be a ghost beast host. Looking back now, he wasn’t wrong.

The next time they met, in White Cave, Watchman had extended an olive branch. Unfortunately, their paths diverged, and they couldn’t walk together.

Once they had parted ways, subsequent encounters only resulted in Watchman chasing and Xu Xiaoshou fleeing.

It wasn't that Xu Xiaoshou couldn't defeat Watchman, nor that he couldn't devise a plan to ambush and kill him.

It’s just that despite their differing stances and paths, he respected the Red Guard’s steadfastness, knowing that some people *could* be killed and *should* be killed, and some things *could* be done and *should* be done.

Regarding Watchman, he mostly chose to let things slide.

When they were at their weakest, they appreciated each other.

During the royal city trial in the Yunlun Mountains, the last time they met deep beneath Solitary Sound Cliff, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't do much, only casually gave him a few bottles of pills.

He hadn’t even considered it a big deal.

After that, once the Nine Deaths Lightning Tribulation in the deep sea passed, Watchman vanished without a trace. Their acquaintance ended there.

Thinking about it now, that long period of back-and-forth involved more confrontation and very little communication.

Overall, Xu Xiaoshou didn't feel he had "given a peach" (made a significant gesture), but from Watchman’s actions after the Void Island and the Five Decays of Heavenly Beings, Watchman had "returned more than a plum" (reciprocated abundantly).

Perhaps from his perspective, he never truly understood what Xu Xiaoshou stood for. After all, the Holy Servants bore the name of such a large dark force, and people from the Holy Divine Palace were inherently incapable of empathy.

Yet, he chose to respect it.

It was a pity that this brief, kindred friendship was cut short by Beihua's ghost beast experiments, which had begun decades earlier.

The stripping of intentions ultimately couldn't mend regrets. Just as it could extract the 'Tears of Little One’s intention' hanging on Ai Cangsheng, Little One herself was long gone.

If he could go back in time, with Xu Xiaoshou's current strength, why would he limit himself to merely giving Watchman a few bottles of pills in the deep sea?

He could have saved everyone!

However, Xu Xiaoshou had mastered the ability to return to the past.

Watchman was involved in too great a karma; saving him alone was far from enough to change fate.

Beihua, the Medicine Ancestor, the Five Decays of Heavenly Beings, Night Owl, the Void Attendants, the Blood World Pearl and the Cursed Yin, and even further back to the Starry Night of the First Six-Xus…

The dead and the not-yet-dead—moving one would affect the whole.

Forcibly altering time would even cause the Time Ancestor to fall, let alone himself?

Xu Xiaoshou knew he was extraordinary, but he wasn't so strong that he could single-handedly alter the schemes and fates of so many, including the Ancestor Gods.

The past couldn't be changed; he still had to look to the future.

“Since it doesn’t hurt…”

“I’ll avenge this for you. No… no need to thank me.”

Whoosh—

The white flames of the Dragon Melting Realm continued to burn.

Snapping back to reality, Beihua was still hanging from his hand.

Xu Xiaoshou shook his arm, and the opponent's mangled body slid down a bit, yet still squirmed, refusing to move.

He truly wanted to kill him with a single sword stroke!

Yet, he felt it would be too easy on him.

Beihua wasn't a normal person; violence and torture seemed incapable of truly killing his twisted, perverse thoughts from within. He needed another method.

“Wake up. Time to cultivate.”

With a shake, Beihua’s mangled body was flung onto the long street, creating a deep crater.

He twitched and foamed in the pit, his lips trembling, and finally, he laughed out loud:

“Xu Xiaoshou, you can’t… kill me…”

“Beihua, immortal…”

Xu Xiaoshou descended from the sky, stomping on his chest and crushing it.

He beckoned with his hand, summoning Cang Ku, and then casually plunged it into Beihua’s mouth, smiling as he said:

“You are indeed difficult to kill.”

“But I remember, you primarily cultivate the Path of the Soul, the Path of Sorrow, the seven emotions and six desires, all those strange and bizarre things, right?”

“Your physical body, in truth, you’ve only scratched the surface of its cultivation. Yet, despite being beaten like this by me, you’re still reluctant to abandon this form. Why?”

Cang Ku whined softly, twisting and turning in his mouth.

Beihua was in excruciating pain, unable to utter even half a word, only letting out low growls.

As the power of life pushed outwards, Cang Ku slowly emerged from his mouth, inch by inch.

Xu Xiaoshou paused, then pressed down with his hand, plunging Cang Ku’s blade back into Beihua’s mouth, piercing through the back of his head and pinning him to the ground, saying:

“Because you have no more opportunities, right?”

Beihua stiffened, continuing to twitch.

Xu Xiaoshou could clearly see his soul seething, knowing that he was truly restless inside, weighing his options and making choices, so he said:

“Ah Yao has abandoned you. You are now homeless.”

“Either cultivate under my watchful eye and show me the Art of Samsara, or call out to Ah Yao—but will He still help you?”

He paused, ignoring Beihua's reaction and violent resistance.

Xu Xiaoshou pressed his hand on the sword hilt, letting Cang Ku continue to twist and dance on Beihua’s head, and said:

“The Devouring Physique is your only way out.”

“Ah Yao’s ‘pulling the rug out from under you’ has caused you considerable damage. You no longer have time to continue this game of chess.”

“Everything else is secondary. Only by taking the Devouring Physique can you have a chance at a desperate struggle. And if my calculations are correct…”

As Xu Xiaoshou spoke, he raised his head towards the sky, looking through the Dragon Melting Realm and the grand formation towards the high altitude outside the City of Dead Buddhas, as if he saw the changing spell seed:

“You’ve made a good calculation. If you can get out of the Crossroads and return to the Five Domains, it will be like a dragon returning to the sea.”

“Ah Yao is ‘resetting,’ and you should be able to sense where the remaining contingencies and energy, like the ‘pool’ in the previous City of Living Buddhas, are. Then, you can completely devour them with the Devouring Physique.”

“You might even be able to get your hands on some of the Cursed Yin spell seeds while Ah Yao is absent, perhaps even making the New Heavenly Realm recognize you as its master and turning the tables on Him?”

Xu Xiaoshou’s lips curved into a smirk, and he continued:

“And after Samsara is complete, after removing impurities like ‘Night,’ if Ah Yao hasn’t finished resetting…”

“You might even be able to use the Path of Life and the Path of Samsara to influence Him, cause Him to fail, and then become your nourishment?”

“You want to seize His path, to become the Medicine Ancestor?”

Thud!

As soon as he said this, Beihua slumped like a puddle of stagnant water, completely still.

Cang Ku whined, but Beihua no longer resisted, letting himself be bullied.

Both his eye sockets had long been pierced through. Lying alone on the ground, no expression could be discerned from him.

His entire being exuded an empty aura, like a miserable worm stripped naked and thrown onto the long street, everything laid bare.

“Xu Xiaoshou, you are so clever…”

Beihua’s body couldn’t move, but a soulful voice echoed faintly around them: “Are you Xu Xiaoshou, or Dao Qiongcang?”

“Dao Qiongcang.”

“But Dao Qiongcang wouldn’t hinder me; you aren’t him… Oh, you know Heavenly Secret Arts, so can you also perform divine calculations with your fingers?”

“I can read minds.”

Beihua was truly in a predicament, caught between a rock and a hard place.

His soul didn't even dare to leave this body; not a single trace of power leaked out. He simply cowered.

After a long silence, he spoke again: “Xu Xiaoshou, let’s cooperate.”

“Cooperate?”

“If Ah Yao succeeds, Saint Xin, Cursed Yin, Cao Yihan, Shen Yi, Dao Qiongcang, and you—none of you will escape. I know His intentions.”

“So?”

“Help me. Let me out of the Crossroads, and I’ll help you fight Ah Yao.”

“Heh…”

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled but remained silent, quietly watching Beihua struggle.

Only now, within Beihua’s seething soul, could he feel a faint trace of fear.

You can actually be afraid?

Beihua didn't give up: “Xu Xiaoshou, what do you want?”

“Do you wait for others to grant you what you want?” Xu Xiaoshou retorted.

“No.”

“Exactly. What I want, I’ll take it myself.”

The power of life suddenly burst forth, directly flinging Cang Ku away.

Dense, decaying mist surged, corrupting the surrounding space of the Crossroads and blurring spiritual vision.

Beihua’s body remained still, but a portion of his soul was severed from within, transforming into a dark beam that shot towards the sky.

“Naughty boy.”

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't turned off his Divine Perception.

At the same instant, he moved, reaching into the void and submerging half his forearm into nothingness.

Path of the Hungry Ghost, open!

The Gate of Hell directly descended.

The forearm that extended through the Gate of Hell transformed into a heaven-obscuring ghost hand, its sharp claws sealing, piercing into Beihua’s soul, and seizing it from mid-air.

“Then I won’t be polite. Let’s dig in.”

The squirming soul, containing vast life force within, was practically a walking tonic.

When Xu Xiaoshou pulled it back before him, it formed a squirming, trembling ghostly face, letting out a piercing shriek—

Chomp.

He bit down, relishing the meal.

His Intent Dao Realm at its peak was completely unaffected by the ghost’s cries.

Beihua’s soul was too large to devour in one bite. Its surging power, once transformed and injected into the Boundless Solitary Particle, could only be consumed bite after bite, right before Beihua’s eyes.

“Ah——”

This time, it was a truly agonizing scream.

Beihua watched, wide-eyed, as the portion of his soul he had severed became nourishment for Xu Xiaoshou, enriching his enemy.

Clearly, all living beings in the world should be nourishment for the Path of Life!

“No——”

Beihua’s body, lying on the ground, suddenly arched upwards, letting out a roar.

Unwilling!

So unwilling!

He seemed to have lost all possibility of life, utterly despairing.

Yet, a plump little hand grew from his back, quickly forming a solemn and dignified Cursed Yin hand seal.

The seal had no effect.

Because Cang Ku swept down from the sky and, with a light slice, severed the hand Beihua intended to use to ‘report him’.

But Beihua opened his mouth and spat. Amidst a sinister chuckle, two fingers on his fleshy tongue had already formed a seal. At that moment, his soul’s voice carried a hint of malicious glee at having succeeded in his scheme:

“Spirit Sacrifice Forbidden Escape!”

An unholy energy surged from his mangled body, and tiny feet grew from beneath Beihua’s buttocks.

Hundreds of feet, carrying the undying, unyielding Centipede Beihua, instantly vanished into the Dao Laws, seemingly attempting to escape the blockade of the Dragon Melting Realm and the Heavenly Secret Grand Formation.

But as soon as the Heavenly Dao manifested.

The purple light of the Cursed Yin evil art had just begun to shine.

Like a firefly compared to a bright moon, Beihua, in his daze, saw the Moonlight of Mystical Arts light up beneath Xu Xiaoshou’s feet.

He was also smiling, his smile gentle.

The seal he was forming in his hand was also a Cursed Yin seal.

“Forbidden · Court of Law-Breaking!”

Following the Heavenly Secret Grand Formation and the Dragon Melting Realm, another layer of watery film descended, enveloping the entire City of Dead Buddhas.

Beihua’s Spirit Sacrifice Forbidden Escape had barely moved half a step when he realized his spell was forcibly interrupted, and his body abruptly froze mid-air.

He himself stiffened.

The purple Cursed Yin eye that had split open on his forehead with the spell seemed to register even more astonishment.

“Are you joking?”

Xu Xiaoshou was amused by him.

With his Mystical Arts Dao Plate transcending the Dao, only Cursed Yin, the former Ancestor of Mystical Arts himself, could show off spells in front of him in this world.

Beihua…

Not to mention he wasn’t adept at mystical arts to begin with.

Most of the forbidden arts of the Golden Gate that the Five Decays of Heavenly Beings mastered only scratched the surface of Cursed Yin’s forbidden arts.

For such a novice in mystical arts, who had only pulled a few strands of Cursed Yin’s hair, to dare to use it as a contingency for escape—was he truly at his wit's end?

“Sacrifice!”

But Beihua opened his mouth and spat, continuing to conjure a Blood World Pearl from his chest.

He burned his lifespan, squeezed out his vitality, and poured his full effort into injecting life force, attempting to make the dim blood light fill the entire Crossroads as much as possible.

The root of world calamity, the guidance of death!

He was already in a predicament because of this body formed by the Blood World Pearl. At this moment, he also wanted to drag Xu Xiaoshou down with him, causing chaos and confusion under the influence of the guiding force!

However, the faint light of the Blood World Pearl was like a drop in the ocean compared to the vast white flames of the Dragon Melting Realm.

All its effects were negligible.

“No…”

“Impossible…”

The purple eye on Beihua’s forehead trembled, and his face showed disbelief.

Xu Xiaoshou, astonishingly, was not affected by the guiding force in the slightest, not even a half-breath of confusion. He summoned Cang Ku, black-clad, sword askew.

Step by step, he strode through the air, humming an unknown tune that was off-key in an inexplicable way:

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star…”

Beihua’s breathing was heavy, and his mind was completely deranged.

It seemed the Blood World Pearl hadn’t affected Xu Xiaoshou at all; instead, it had guided him, casting an eerie hue over the entire world.

“How I wonder what you are…”

The white flames reflected on his black-clad face, making the figure striding through the air with his sword askew appear sinister and eerie, as if *he* were the devil, *he* were the source of evil.

That death-summoning tune, moreover, was like needle pricks, repeatedly piercing Beihua’s uneasy state of mind, poking thousands of holes in it.

Finally, Xu Xiaoshou’s peak Intent Dao Realm, surpassing the Blood World Pearl’s guidance, pierced through Beihua’s impregnable psychological defenses.

“You can’t stop me!”

“You, you can’t stop me!”

Beihua twisted his head and spun around, his eyes showing a crimson madness.

He completely abandoned this precious body, his entire soul soaring into the air, whistling upwards.

He had to run!

Xu Xiaoshou was too comprehensive; he simply couldn’t be defeated!

His calculations were even more deadly, stripping away all contingencies and blocking them in advance!

His life force was devoured, the Path of Samsara dared not manifest, the power of devouring couldn’t damage the Dragon Melting Realm, and the power of decay couldn’t even affect him in the slightest…

His physical body was no match, his spells were suppressed, the portion of his soul he severed was captured and eaten, his combat awareness was far inferior, and all his contingencies were seen through…

It seemed there was always a chance!

Yet, he always seemed a hair’s breadth too slow!

This was no chance at all; he was merely tormenting himself, making it seem as if hope was present, slowly struggling.

But one who is drowning doesn't realize they're drowning; they only sink deeper.

By the time he finally awakened at the very end, all his methods had been seen through. That was the true meaning of being a fish on a chopping board, to be slaughtered at will.

This fellow…

Xu Xiaoshou…

How could he be like this?

When did he grow to this extent?

No! Unwilling! I’m unwilling!

Beihua’s soul made a desperate gamble, knowing he couldn’t delay any longer. Even if it meant shattering himself into threads, he had to send a wisp of his soul out of the Crossroads.

Just get out…

As long as he could get out…

First, he would go to the pool in the North Sea to recover his strength.

Then he’d take Cao Yihan’s divine husk and wouldn’t need the Devouring Physique. The Path of Thought would also work; Complete Divine Thought was also very strong.

Beihua is immortal!

As long as life exists, Beihua cannot be extinguished!

“He can do it…”

“He definitely can…”

In a desperate struggle, he charged towards the Dragon Melting Realm’s barrier. Beihua didn’t even use any spells or methods; he just crashed headfirst into it.

How powerful was his soul body? Even if the Dragon Melting Realm scorched him and the Heavenly Secret Grand Formation sliced and obstructed him, he would surely find a sliver of hope for survival.

But then…

Thud!

A flash of silver light shone, accompanied by a faint green glow.

Beihua was like someone who had crashed headfirst into the most indestructible silver wall. His soul body was not only injured but bounced back, and even his Saint Sense couldn’t penetrate it in the slightest.

He stumbled back several steps, not daring to even open his eyes, and crashed headfirst again.

Thud!

Another dull thud.

Beihua bounced back once more.

By this point, his seething, chaotic mind finally cleared a fraction, realizing the foolish thing he had just done…

He turned around to look.

Where was Xu Xiaoshou?

Far down the long street, there were only two enormous legs, like heavenly pillars, towering into the sky, their ends unknown.

He turned his head again.

The silver light in front of him was gone, replaced by the inverted face of a giant.

The giant's two eyes, like the sun and moon, illuminated the entire Crossroads' night, yet brought forth an even more terrifying mental impact.

Extreme Giant!

The Extreme Giant, rooted in place, bent over, its back pressing against the top of the Dragon Melting Realm, its head directly appearing in the escape path of Beihua’s soul body.

This truly demonstrated the meaning of “bowing not from fear, but because the sky is too low”!

That brilliant silver light, accompanied by a faint green hue, was the gigantic Shattered Scythe Shield, enlarged after the Path of the Hungry Ghost. No matter how stubborn Beihua’s head was, guided by the Intent Dao Realm, could he break through the world’s strongest shield, even if he could break through a brick wall?

A caged bird, sand in a palm—cover it, and it’s extinguished. How could he escape?

If he let him escape, Xu Xiaoshou would write his name backward!

Thud!

There was no third impact.

Upon seeing the giant’s inverted face, Beihua’s heart jolted, stopped beating, and a pervasive sense of death arose.

At this very moment, with Beihua’s soul body forced out, Xu Xiaoshou no longer needed to act. A surging killing intent erupted from his chest.

“Die!!!”

The Extreme Giant brought down the Shattered Scythe Shield with explosive force, shattering space and Dao Laws, unleashing unparalleled violence as it smashed down.

An ant looked up, and the sky seemed to collapse.

Alas, there was nothing tall left in the Crossroads to help him intercept this calamity.

“No!!!”

Beihua’s soul body pushed its hands upward, and a bronze bell flew from his mouth…

The bronze bell exploded.

Then a golden scroll flew out…

The scroll shattered.

A blood-red life armor lit up around him…

The armor burst.

A haphazard collection of protective holy artifacts, under the combined might of the Extreme Giant, the Shattered Scythe Shield, and Absolute Repulsion, all external techniques were instantly destroyed.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom…

Beneath the collapsing silver sky, scattered fireworks erupted, but to no avail.

External methods proved futile. Beihua spat out soul blood, completely sacrificing his full power.

“Life Path Sacrifice…”

There was only the sound of wind, no response.

The Court of Law-Breaking was still active. Beihua, having just escaped the guidance, completely failed to realize that all spell-form energy mobilization was ineffective in the Crossroads!

His soul body’s hands, without any protective measures, met the Shattered Scythe Shield.

They cracked, then his forearms shattered, splattering into a surging rain of life that filled the city with its fragrance, fluttering downwards like willow catkins.

“Mine…”

“This is mine…”

Beihua went mad, gulping it down.

But from behind the Extreme Giant, a blood-red gluttonous beast head reached forward and, in one gulp, turned “mine” into “his.”

“No, no, no!”

Beihua retreated again and again.

As he retreated, he conjured life force.

The Court of Law-Breaking was too disgusting. Perhaps the Medicine Ancestor could break the Mystical Arts Ancestor’s spells, but Beihua’s current level was far too limited.

Ah Yao’s ‘pulling the rug out from under him’ indeed caused him to lose too many contingencies.

Xu Xiaoshou’s sudden arrival with complete preparation had nullified every possibility of ‘success’.

Beihua felt like he was going to die from discomfort.

He could only mobilize energy in the most primitive way, attempting to intercept the Shattered Scythe Shield’s heaven-collapsing momentum.

However, it was futile.

The Shattered Scythe Shield crushed his arms, shattered his shoulders, and slammed his inescapable head into his chest.

He could only retreat!

He couldn’t withstand the sharpness at all. If he could seize Shen Yi’s body, or at least first interact with Kurei Han’s divine husk, perhaps there might be a slim chance?

No time left.

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.

In but an instant, his shoulders were shattered, his chest crushed, his head pulverized, his abdomen ruined, and even his last two thighs were ground into dust with a single blow.

“Xu! Xiao! Shou!”

This predicament, being locked in a cage from beginning to end, sealed off from all directions, utterly crushed Beihua’s spirit.

He tried to punch, but as his shoulder and elbow moved, they were held down.

He tried to kick, but as his knee trembled, it was stepped on.

He tried to twist his head, but just as his eyes moved, Xu Xiaoshou straightened his skull for him.

He tried to turn over, but before his clothes could even ripple, shackles bound his body, branding him to a heavenly pillar for torture.

Punching cotton is already frustrating.

How much more frustrating was this, where every punch he tried to throw was blocked, and every step he calculated was anticipated—an extreme agony.

“Xu——Xiao——Shou——”

When the last wisp of his soul body’s life energy was completely devoured by Xu Xiaoshou, Beihua’s piercing shriek abruptly ceased.

He seemed to have died.

The Shattered Scythe Shield stopped at the ground.

The Extreme Giant vanished abruptly, leaving only a slow, “thump-thump” heartbeat echoing on the street.

No path to the heavens, no door to the earth.

Beihua’s remnant soul was gone, only half a wisp of his will remained.

Having fought to a point of no escape, he could only hide within Watchman’s body, choosing to cocoon himself.

The power of Samsara surged, but it was far, far weaker than its initial potential, covering his mangled body with a thin ‘mist’. He curled up in the deep pit, hugging his knees, as if returning to infancy.

Thud.

Xu Xiaoshou landed back on the ground.

For him at this moment, Beihua was too weak.

He had the actual strength of a Ten Venerate, possessing the Paths of Life and Samsara, but lacked explosive power, and the courage of Kurei Han, Ba Zun’an, or Shen Yi.

The Medicine Ancestor’s ‘pulling the rug out from under him’ truly took too much from him.

This time, it was like his parents ganged up and savagely beat him, leaving him crippled.

Having lost the leverage for grand schemes, like Dao Qiongcang possessed, Beihua was now just a pitiable worm.

If he had seized Watchman’s body, escaped the Crossroads, and been intercepted again, he might have been able to ‘ascend to the heavens’ and gain the potential for explosive power comparable to Old Eight’s.

But trapping him during this most vulnerable period, handling Beihua was as simple as crushing a bug.

Beihua was no longer important.

What Xu Xiaoshou truly wanted to see, and whom he wanted to influence through Beihua, was still the Medicine Ancestor, Shennong Baicao.

Crippling a dog and pushing it to a dead end leaves it no choice but to jump the wall, or rather, to jump the wall.

His only path now was to seek aid from the Medicine Ancestor.

As for whether the Medicine Ancestor would respond to him, Xu Xiaoshou didn't care.

He knew Beihua wouldn’t give up. Life, Samsara—perhaps this desperate jump would instead land him on the Medicine Ancestor’s ‘resetting’ path, allowing him to bite off a piece of flesh?

Then perform.

Let me see where your limits lie.

Squatting over the deep pit, staring intently at the cocoon of Samsara, Xu Xiaoshou couldn’t help but chuckle at everything that had just transpired.

“When I tell you to cultivate, you should cultivate. Why are you causing trouble?”