Chapter 2042: Fame Seeking

"Something's off!"

"Why the insistence on the title 'Ancestor Shou'?"

Inside Zero's mind, the alarm's incessant beeping never ceased. Xu Xiaoshou was adept at playing mysterious roles, often concealing his true intentions beneath seemingly comical words and actions, ready to strike later. Dao Qiongcang had largely summarized these observations during his era.

Now, after this fellow emerged from the Time Realm, he first provoked the Four Ancestors, including Zero, who was quite friendly with him—this was surely a jest; Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't genuinely target Zero, a fact Zero could deduce. Next, mimicking Chongyin's impersonation of a Godslayer Official, he took the mortals from the Five Domains, while demanding that all cultivators refer to him as 'Ancestor Shou' to enter the Apricot Realm. Up to this point, there was nothing alarming; Zero hadn't even been alerted.

However, after taking the people, Xu Xiaoshou also confronted Sheng Xin face-to-face, demanding to be called 'Ancestor Shou.' This was quite intriguing.

"Is it merely his mischievous eccentricity?"

"Absolutely not!"

Chongyin, through Ran Ming, guided high-level cultivators from the Five Domains into the Ruins of God to conceal his identity. What Xu Xiaoshou was doing now, however, must be for fame—the 'fame' of Ancestor of Fame and the Dao of Fame!

"Using one's own 'name' spoken by others as an anchor, and through a method similar to the 'Dao of Other,' to establish 'self'?" Dao Qiongcang had achieved ancestorship this way, so naturally, Zero's first reaction was to deduce this possibility.

"However, the upper limit of the Dao of Fame is the Ancestor of Fame." "Since the Ancestor of Fame has fallen, it implies limited comprehension of the Grand Dao, roughly at the level of a Saint-Demon before reset, but certainly not fully reset." "Most of Xu Xiaoshou's experience actually comes from inheriting the power of fame; innovating would be incredibly difficult. So, has he completed the final step of the Dao of Fame?"

Zero was slow to draw a conclusion, but its branching thoughts led to two possibilities. If yes, Xu Xiaoshou should thank Zero, for it must have been Zero's method of Dao-integration that inspired him. If not, the deeper meaning behind Xu Xiaoshou's action lay elsewhere, most likely that the title 'Ancestor Shou' must not be uttered.

If one were to utter it, at the very least, they might be branded with some invisible, intangible mark of fame! When it would activate and what effects it would lead to were currently unknown. But how terrifying could such a brand be? Dao Qiongcang, who frequently used brands, and his Heavenly Mechanism Puppet Zero, how could they not know?

"This fellow..."

Sheng Xin, by the Time Realm, was even more deeply affected by such brands. To this day, he hadn't fully grasped how Dao Ancestor had secretly branded him with that '囧' character symbol. And he was unaware of Dao Qiongcang's method of achieving Dao, so naturally, all his current thoughts and considerations pointed towards branding.

Yet, what Xu Xiaoshou said, though seemingly absurd, was not entirely without reason. Regardless of whether he was rescued by the Ancestor of Fame or self-proclaimed as an Ancestor God, if insufficient respect wasn't shown, how could the conversation continue? Even if the Ancestor of Fame himself descended, what did I have to fear? This thought flashed through his mind, stemming from his confidence in his own strength, and Sheng Xin chuckled as he spoke:

"Ancestor Shou."

The Five Domains were silent, for there were few people left. In the various reception cities of the Apricot Realm, those who had just entered and settled down to watch the sermon on the sky screen, were all listening intently.

"Sheng Xin chickened out?"

"No way, is Ancestor Shou putting that much pressure on him? Even I can tell Ancestor Shou isn't in good shape!"

After the cry, nothing unusual occurred. Sheng Xin scanned his own body, spirit, and mind, detecting no new brands. Perhaps it was just a simple 'give me some face'?

"Very good."

On Crane Pavilion Mountain, Xu Xiaoshou nodded slightly. From his unruffled exterior, it was indeed impossible to discern what he was thinking internally. The boiling soul visible to Bei Huai then, the mental activity calculated by Dao Qiongcang, now that he had returned from the Time Realm... He seemed to have cultivated everything to perfection. Showing no emotion, he was a very astute and perfectly qualified 'Ancestor Shou.'

Sheng Xin spoke again: "Then, next..."

But Xu Xiaoshou simply ignored him, turning to scan the Memory Tree at the crossroads, finally fixing his gaze on Zero atop the Sea of Memory:

"And you?"

Sheng Xin choked, his brows slightly raised. How many times had this blatant disregard occurred? It was as if Sheng Xin needed no face, and Xu Xiaoshou was free to ridicule him at will. Yet, this very person, this face, this appearance, not long ago on Four Mausoleums Mountain, had been almost groveling before him. Now, having returned from the Time Realm, he was acting so wantonly? Good, good, good! Let's see what tricks you'll pull—are you truly fearless, or merely putting on an empty fort strategy!

"Beep, beep, beep..."

Zero, under scrutiny, had alarms blaring in its mind. From the moment it struck down the Medicine Ancestor until now, Zero had always maintained an air of mystery in the eyes of outsiders. It spoke little, but if the Medicine Ancestor dared to show its face, it would be obliterated! But at this moment, facing Ancestor Shou, facing this fellow's deliberate demand for a respectful address... These two simple words seemed to make Zero's mind smoke, unable to analyze any further results. Consequently, for a brief period, Zero's expression wasn't one of silence, but rather of hesitation, tinged with suspicion and fear.

"Is it that difficult, Dao Qiongcang?" Xu Xiaoshou's tone was disappointed. "Between you and me, there should have been an unspoken understanding. I never thought that now that I've achieved ancestorship, you wouldn't even offer a 'congratulations,' or utter 'Ancestor Shou.' My heart is chilled."

Zero could no longer remain silent. Its emotionless mechanical voice spoke, making it impossible to tell if it was Memory-Self or Dao Qiongcang speaking:

"Congratulations, Ancestor Shou, on achieving ancestorship."

At this, not only Xu Xiaoshou, but even those observing in the Apricot Realm chuckled aloud. What a clever Dao Hall Master, the Ancestor of Ball-Kicking! He managed to fulfill Ancestor Shou's two simple demands without directly uttering the words 'Ancestor Shou,' truly the epitome of circumvention!

Xu Xiaoshou was not so easily appeased. He seemed to have a precise grasp of the Five Domains' situation, his own position, Sheng Xin's mindset, and Dao Ancestor's calculations. He just stared, refusing to look away. Sheng Xin inwardly chuckled and remained silent. After all, he had already spoken the words. If 'Ancestor Shou' held a sinister meaning, dragging another person down would provide an extra layer of protection. Consequently, the eyes of the entire world focused on Zero, creating immense pressure.

"Beep, beep, beep!"

It was substantial pressure! Zero clearly felt that Ancestor Shou on Crane Pavilion Mountain, his aura was climbing step by step. Before, he was just a normal human figure, but now, he seemed like a colossal giant striding forth from ancient times, his aura capable of swallowing mountains and rivers! Right, Xu Xiaoshou was also skilled at cultivating 'momentum'... Dao Qiongcang had experienced this unique spiritual skill back in his era, but later, with the elevation of Dao laws in the Five Domains and the frequent appearance of Ancestor Gods, Xu Xiaoshou's momentum had become useless. Now, having returned from the Time Realm, had he also made breakthroughs in the Dao of Momentum?

"Congratulations, Ancestor Shou, on achieving divinity and ancestorship, a single step to zero."

Zero spoke again, this time not daring to circumvent. As soon as these words were uttered, it felt no anomaly in the power of fame, but Xu Xiaoshou's momentum, dominating the Ancestor God battlefield of the Five Domains, grew even stronger. He seemed to have everyone under his control, able to unleash a thunderous strike when necessary. Was everyone being led by him?

Xu Xiaoshou was surprisingly still not satisfied. He shook his head and said, "I don't like inanimate congratulations. I want to hear your sincere praise for my Dao." This gave absolutely no chance to gloss over the matter!

With a click, a large door split open on the forehead of the thousand-zhang-tall Heavenly Mechanism Puppet Zero. A platform extended from it, on which stood a figure in white robes with a jade-like face. The sky screen footage in the Apricot Realm, controlled by Muzili's professional preaching department, was ultra-high definition, directly zooming in on the figure's face.

"Dao Hall Master?"

"Dao Qiongcang!"

"Or rather, Dao Ancestor Memory-Self!"

The figure was indeed Dao Qiongcang. After appearing, a friendly, almost intimate smile was plastered on his face, as if he was genuinely happy for Xu Xiaoshou's success: "With Ancestor Shou's arrival, even Crane Pavilion Mountain gains luster." "But I must ask one more thing: do I, as I am now, still have the right to call Ancestor Shou 'my Xu'?"

Xu Xiaoshou stood atop Crane Pavilion Mountain, silent, extending a finger and pointing into the distance. Dao Qiongcang's body tensed, yet he neither dodged nor retreated, as if he would willingly die for Xu Xiaoshou even if the latter intended to kill him.

"Buzz!"

A faint cyan glow condensed at his fingertip. A chill wind suddenly arose through Crane Pavilion Mountain, causing tree shadows to sway. In the distant sky, a faint black line seemed to rip open. The illusory Extinction Finger hadn't even been launched, yet its killing intent had already permeated the Grand Dao.

"I want to kill you." Xu Xiaoshou stated bluntly.

Dao Qiongcang's pupils suddenly dilated, staring intently at the finger. He could completely feel Xu Xiaoshou's seriousness and understood why. Yet, he still managed to force a smile: "Oh? Why, my Xu? Have you forgotten the good times we once shared?"

Sheng Xin glanced between the two, feeling it was an act. But Dao Qiongcang's acting was poor. Xu Xiaoshou's murderous intent was so strong, it didn't seem feigned; if given the chance, he would truly kill. Good! If you could fight among yourselves without needing Shennong's Hundred Herbs to step in, that would be truly great! Just then, Xu Xiaoshou lowered his finger and chuckled, "The Meteorite Heaven Crystal saved your life. This strike, I, the Ancestor, will temporarily suppress."

Dao Qiongcang's eyelid twitched. He cupped his hands and bowed: "Many thanks, Ancestor Shou, for sparing my life."

"Ancestor Shou."

"Many thanks, Ancestor Shou, for sparing my life!"

With the halt of that finger, it was the observers who grew anxious. Sheng Xin's brows furrowed sharply, and he interjected, "The Meteorite Heaven Crystal can indeed devour Grand Dao and energy, and its power can shatter them. War Ancestor Wu once fought within the Meteorite Realm, shattering the Heaven Crystal with his fist."

Dao Qiongcang spun around abruptly, glaring with surging killing intent. His expression seemed to imply naive indignation: "You backstab your new ally? Then you, Sheng Xin, are an Ancestor without ethics!"

Xu Xiaoshou paid no heed, turning a deaf ear. He turned his head, fixed his gaze on the Memory Tree, and spoke again: "And you?"

This time, not only the people of the Apricot Realm, but even Sheng Xin and Dao Qiongcang were astonished. Who was he talking to? To... the Memory Tree?

The Memory Tree did not speak. In fact, its tree spirit had not yet been born; its roots and branches were still permeating the Dao laws of the Five Domains, raising their level. It was as if Ancestor Shou was talking to the wrong entity; there was simply no one inside the Memory Tree who could respond to him.

"Playing dead?" Xu Xiaoshou sneered.

With a swirl of his foot, the sound of Dao resonated, and he actually unfurled the Sea of Intent.

"Indeed!"

Sheng Xin, by the Time Realm, immediately grew serious. Indeed, what his avatar had seen in the Time Realm was not an illusion; this child had truly cultivated the Dao of Intent to perfection. "The Dao of Intent can help discern 'self.'" Thus, Xu Xiaoshou might have truly attracted the Calamity of No-Self through this. Then the remaining conjecture was whether Xu Xiaoshou's current injuries indicated a flaw in some of his steps. So, despite being able to discern 'self,' he failed to fully reset due to a 'variable'? What was it? Was this variable, Ba Zun'an? Even these two remarkably talented individuals couldn't overcome the mountain that is Ba Zun'an. Xu Xiaoshou also cultivated the sword. Indeed, at a critical moment, if the Heart Demon Ba Zun'an had appeared to strike a blow, causing him to fail to achieve complete reset under the Calamity of No-Self and the Three Calamities Array... Or even if he was struck so hard he had to detonate his hidden trump card left on the Saint God Continent, trading a life in the Time Realm, only to be left with a lingering breath. It seemed, then, that everything made sense? But how could such an important trump card, even if I saw it, be revealed before the battle even began...? This puzzled Sheng Xin endlessly. At least, Dao Ancestor might not know, and Medicine Ancestor and Chongyin certainly wouldn't know about the Sea of Intent. Could it be that Xu Xiaoshou had an even stronger trump card than the Sea of Intent? Or was his displaying this Sea of Dao at this moment precisely to make observers think this way? Everything felt peculiar! After achieving ancestorship, Xu Xiaoshou exuded an air of mystery from beginning to end, as if he had become omnipotent, cultivating all Daos to perfection—though, of course, this was utterly impossible... The Demon Ancestor calmed himself.

Ignoring the bewilderment of outsiders, Xu Xiaoshou, standing on the Sea of Intent, probed the Memory Tree again, even poking at the will that was feigning slumber: "Chongyin, others can't detect your remaining consciousness, but is my perfected Dao of Intent not worth you waking up to offer a congratulation?"

At these words, the Apricot Realm erupted in an uproar. What was even more shocking was that the Memory Tree, which had swallowed countless Meteorite Heaven Crystal energies, actually trembled, and then a hoarse voice emerged from within: "Ancestor Shou is mighty; it seems I, Chongyin, have been petty." "Congratulations to Ancestor Shou on achieving ancestorship. Chongyin's previous offer still stands: between Dao Qiongcang and myself, Ancestor Shou can still make another choice."

By the Time Realm, Sheng Xin's expression changed. Above Zero's head, Dao Qiongcang also turned pale with fright. After showing the reactions of these two, the sky screen then focused on a human face vaguely formed by the Memory Tree's branches. At this, the various reception cities in the Apricot Realm immediately exploded:

"What? Chongyin isn't dead yet?"

"Judging by their reactions, Demon Ancestor and Dao Ancestor have no idea?"

"Hard to say. Sheng Xin might genuinely not know, but Dao Hall Master... uh, could he be faking it?" The Memory Tree was under his control. But the living seeds were previously under the Medicine Ancestor's control. Either Chongyin was hidden, and neither of them knew. Or the Medicine Ancestor knew and hid Chongyin, or Dao Ancestor knew but turned a blind eye, continuing to elevate the Memory Tree's Dao law level, intending to use it against something. But the moment Ancestor Shou appeared... Looking back, his initial statement 'excluding the Four Ancestors' clearly exposed Chongyin's little trick—he had seen right through him, even his underpants!

"This is the Sea of Intent?"

"Wherever his intent passes, not only can he mark everyone in the Five Domains and guide them into the Apricot Realm, but even Ancestor God-level Chongyin can't hide? Ancestor Shou is incredible!"

Chongyin's invitation was like Sheng Xin's repeated attempts to converse. Xu Xiaoshou surely heard them, but chose to ignore them all. He looked away, completely disregarding them, clearly still standing atop Crane Pavilion, not even changing his posture. Yet the feeling he conveyed was entirely different. Though his body was damaged, he was definitely not playing tricks; he possessed the ability to see through all truths.

"I knew Ancestor Bao was enduring in silence, that when he wasn't showing his face, he was definitely secretly cultivating. We've all seen your hard work, wuwu..." Someone in the reception city, holding an Ancestor Shou doll, had stars and tears in their eyes, knowing that Ancestor Shou had been secretly working hard all along.

That leaves only the Medicine Ancestor! If it was just about saving face, the other three had done so; the Medicine Ancestor couldn't be an exception. If he wanted more than just face, if he wanted to do something through the title 'Ancestor Shou,' then the Medicine Ancestor definitely couldn't be an exception. The people of the Apricot Realm looked on with anticipation. The Medicine Ancestor was adept at hiding. Even when Dao Ancestor brought out Zero, he could only kill him when he revealed himself. Once the Medicine Ancestor concealed himself, Zero was powerless to search. Could Xu Xiaoshou find him?

"Will you come out yourself, or shall I drag you out?" Xu Xiaoshou waited for a while. Shennong's Hundred Herbs surprisingly showed no sense, and he immediately grew displeased.

The Five Domains were dead silent. The Four Seas remained calm. There was no response whatsoever. The Medicine Ancestor was still hiding, convinced he could remain hidden!

"That's the Sea of Intent..." The people of the Apricot Realm involuntarily sided with Ancestor Shou. Though they didn't know what the Sea of Intent represented, a 'sea' should be stronger than a 'river,' even if the Medicine Ancestor controlled the Dual Rivers of the Grand Dao.

"I'll count to three. If you refuse to show yourself and pay me respect, I, the Ancestor, will not leave you any dignity." Xu Xiaoshou raised three fingers.

"Three!" He folded down one finger.

At the same time, a voice echoed in Sheng Xin's mind, somewhat urgent: "Xu Xiaoshou, does he truly command the Five Rivers of the Grand Dao?" Sheng Xin showed no outward change, but replied mentally: "That was just a ruse to make him act earlier; he only has the Dual Rivers of the Grand Dao."

"He underwent the Calamity of No-Self?" The Medicine Ancestor didn't dwell on the deception; he hadn't fully believed in something as outlandish as five rivers anyway. He just hadn't expected the Sea of Intent to be real. So, what about the remaining 'river'? Was it the Long River of the Sword Dao?

"Likely, and he should have passed through the Three Calamities Array."

"I don't think so."

"How so?"

"His body is injured; he must be 'half-crossed'—he didn't receive the baptism of the final thunder calamity, likely feared being trapped by you in the Time Realm again, so he escaped prematurely. His combat power is less than a tenth of what it should be."

The Apricot Realm's sky screen was frantically searching for someone, but it found no trace, not even a hint, of the Medicine Ancestor emerging within the Five Domains. On Crane Pavilion Mountain, Xu Xiaoshou's expression remained unchanged as he slowly folded down his second finger, his voice calm:

"Two."

Intent Stripping had never been turned off, from beginning to end. However, it deliberately avoided Zero and Dao Ancestor, who should have been wary of this technique, and instead extended its reach, enveloping the Memory Tree and Sheng Xin. He continued to eavesdrop. The latter two had not directly experienced this technique. Under his now perfected Dao laws, perfected concealment, and the indirect guidance of the Sea of Intent, they indeed focused on chatting, unaware that they were being overheard.

"Ancestor of Fame approached you, discussing an alliance?"

"Mm."

"I once guided Xu Xiaoshou into the Hometown of Fragrance, and he transformed into the Ancestor of Fame. Was it the same for you?"

"No."

"No need to lie to me, Sheng Xin, nor to yourself, because we've both been deceived by Xu Xiaoshou! There's no Ancestor of Fame at all; it was all him pretending! He's just putting on an act now too! You've been played!"

By the Time Realm, Sheng Xin's face suddenly turned pale. But it was fleeting, concealed so well that no one saw it, not even the Apricot Realm's preaching sky screen could capture it.

"One."

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his fingers into a fist, shaking his head and sighing softly with extreme disappointment: "Why, why force my hand?"

At the same time, the mental transmission in Sheng Xin's mind hadn't stopped; on the contrary, it became more urgent: "Our alliance, from the Divine War of the Heaven Realm until now, has been for the sake of the New Heaven Realm. In reality, Chongyin, Dao, and Xu have never truly cooperated. You fundamentally can't trust them; it's all just various indirect manipulations. I understand this in my heart, and you should be even more aware of the consequences of genuinely agreeing to their alliance."

"Mm."

"I also know what you're thinking—that I should make the first move to help you test Xu Xiaoshou's true strength. But I have my demands. Sheng Xin, there's no time. I, the Ancestor, need to see your utmost sincerity."

"Speak."

"The Dao of Arts belongs to me. The Dao of Memory cultivates the New Heaven Realm, and the Dao of Thought belongs to you, but these latter two both require your assistance. You also need to help me block Zero; only then can I, the Ancestor, fully exert myself to deal with Xu Xiaoshou. And the moment he is injured, you must immediately intervene to help me."

Sheng Xin closed his eyes and pondered silently. In less than an instant, he reopened them, a subtle gleam flashing in his eyes. How many Ba Zun'ans were there in the world?

"Good!"