Chapter 369: Retreat Safely

Xin Gugu was nearly driven to madness.

In his previous impressions, Xu Xiaoshou was just a quirky, unreliable oddball. But today, this guy had completely redefined his understanding. Relying on his innate cultivation, he actually dared to act so audaciously in front of a peak Wangzuo? Although the sword strike earlier had suppressed everything, Xin Gugu knew that was Xu Xiaoshou's ultimate trump card – a truly ultimate trump card that completely drained his body after a single use. In such a weakened state, he could still posture to block both Xin Gugu and A Jie behind him...

This wasn't just courage; it was sheer madness! Utter madness! But it was this lunatic, uttering those words and coupled with the commotion he had caused earlier... Even Xin Gugu couldn't help but feel a strange idea taking root in his heart.

"Xu Xiaoshou, can you really not unleash that sword again?"

No one answered, and Zhang Taiying remained silent.

One breath.

Two breaths.

"I already have the answer."

Xu Xiaoshou sneered, lifting his chin slightly as his half-closed eyelids seemed to pity the most wretched person in the world. He turned around and waved his hand.

"Let's go!"

"Mama..."

A Jie murmured, the red light in his eyes dimming as he stepped forward to follow.

Xin Gugu watched Xu Xiaoshou's unguarded back, his heart overflowing with admiration. He glanced back at Zhang Taiying, whose face was as dark as dripping ink. Then he looked at the two Wangzuo behind them. The woman in the pair had humiliation welling up in her eyes, while the old man... He was probably the only person in the scene still maintaining a normal state of mind!

"No!"

"At this point, anyone who can still maintain that kind of state of mind must be a complete psychological deviant!"

Xin Gugu's lips curled into a smile. He tried to hold back his laughter but couldn't.

"Ha ha ha!"

It felt amazing! The true joy of battle wasn't about smashing the opponent into a pulp with a punch. It was knowing you couldn't fight back, yet they still didn't dare to make a move. This kind of non-combat battle could thoroughly disgust them from body to mind, and even to the soul!

Xin Gugu looked at their constipated expressions and felt utterly refreshed.

"Let's go."

This was a guy who thrived on chaos, and once he realized these people didn't dare to act, he completely unleashed himself. He swung his sleeves with a flourish, looking heroic, and hurried after Xu Xiaoshou.

"Awesome!"

"Xu Xiaoshou, I, Xin Gugu, don't submit to anyone—not even to that woman Jiao Tangtang if she showed up."

"But today, I'm submitting to you!"

He laughed heartily as he sent a voice transmission, reaching out to pat Xu Xiaoshou on the shoulder.

Xu Xiaoshou was prepared for it. Having calculated his enemies so thoroughly, how could he forget about the potential threat right beside him? With a thud, A Jie suddenly turned around, reaching out to catch Xin Gugu's descending hand. His demeanor seemed to say, "How dare a mere ghost beast host like you touch my mama?"

Xin Gugu was startled and quickly realized that his pat might have knocked Xu Xiaoshou flat on the spot, so he awkwardly pulled his hand back.

After walking about a li, there was still no movement from behind.

"Don't bother looking."

Xu Xiaoshou exhaled a puff of murky air and said, "If they didn't even dare to take the first step, how could they gather the courage to take another under all that wild speculation?"

"Tsk tsk..."

Xin Gugu shook his head, completely conquered by Xu Xiaoshou. This guy's way of thinking was pure genius when applied to battle!

"By the way, how did you pull off that sword strike earlier?"

"And was that explosion in the Dongting District really from your alchemy?"

"Oh, right, about that thing you mentioned at the end—could you really strike another sword like that?"

Xin Gugu's mind was buzzing with questions; if he didn't get answers, he knew he'd be up all night.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyelid twitched, tempted to keep up the act. But with the danger gone and completely relaxed, how could he summon the energy? With a thud, he collapsed straight down.

A Jie was quick, reaching out to catch him in a princess carry.

"Dead?"

Xin Gugu was startled and hurriedly checked his breathing, finding it steady—definitely not dead, just... extremely weak!

"Asleep?"

He widened his eyes, sensing the surging life force within Xu Xiaoshou's body. If not for how heavily his eyelids were drooping, Xin Gugu wouldn't have believed this was the same exhausted young man from before.

"Is this guy even human?"

"After that sword strike, did he really not suffer any depletion—just mental exhaustion?"

"Does that mean his last words were true—as long as he has a shred of consciousness, he could unleash another sword?"

Xin Gugu's heart was shaken. He thought of that scruffy uncle and suddenly realized that anyone favored by such a figure wouldn't be simple.

Sword...

Truth be told, Xin Gugu didn't know much about swords. He wasn't from the East Domain and had grown up in the South Domain's Xuyue Hui Palace. The only famous sword cultivators he knew of were the "Seven Sword Immortals." Plus, there was that half-mythical "Eighth Sword Immortal," whose stories were exaggerated beyond belief.

Who could that uncle be?

Xin Gugu absolutely didn't believe Xu Xiaoshou could strike such a sword with just his innate cultivation—it had to involve outside help. And that help could only be from the uncle. But earlier that morning, while the uncle was strong, he didn't seem to reach the legendary Sword Immortal level. Yet, tonight's sword from Xu Xiaoshou had an aura that transcended ordinary sword cultivators. Even a Wangzuo of the sword path might not achieve something like that.

Could it be that the uncle was powerful enough to let a novice strike such a terrifying sword, but couldn't do it himself?

Xin Gugu felt a wave of contradiction. He didn't dwell on it, fearing they might be followed, and led A Jie into the darkness to escape.

"It's over."

Like the awestruck crowds on Dongqing Street looking up in reverence, the city lord's mansion had been closely watching tonight's shocking battle.

Fu Xing stood with his hands behind his back, turning to Liu Jing with a serious expression.

"Father hasn't returned?"

Liu Jing nodded. "He's still in the back garden studying his new spirit array crystals. Even with the city lord's mansion being struck tonight, he didn't go to check it out."

"How could he move when it's so far away tonight?"

Fu Xing rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. At his age, he should be like those young nobles from prominent families, wandering through pleasure houses and courting heiresses. But because his old father was obsessed with spirit arrays and neglected everything else, Fu Xing had to take over some family duties early. Handling Wangzuo-level affairs with his Zongshi cultivation was making him struggle to keep up.

"What about Shengshen Hall? What's their stance?" he asked.

After all, a Wangzuo making a move violated the sacred laws, so it would require the white-robed enforcers from Shengshen Hall to suppress it.

Liu Jing chuckled lightly. "I'm afraid Tian Sang City won't be a priority for them anytime soon."

"Oh?" Fu Xing was puzzled. "Why's that?"

Liu Jing stepped forward, gazing at the lingering dust on the horizon with a grave face.

"The Bai Ku sword intent is rampant, with four swords emerging—it's a done deal."

"This has everyone on edge. Even though the dimensional rift hasn't opened, people have already started smuggling themselves in!"

"Shengshen Hall's red-robed enforcers haven't moved, but the white-robed ones have been dispatched for the sixth batch."

Fu Xing was shocked. "Six batches?"

Compared to before, this was unimaginable.

The white-robed enforcers of Shengshen Hall came in batches, each a group of five to ten people—all starting at Wangzuo level!

"Yes," Liu Jing nodded, turning back with a smile. "Outside Bai Ku, the number of dead Wangzuo is probably at least in the double digits by now."