Chapter 443: He’s Pretending? No, It Can’t Be, Impossible

Well, well.He's really got guts!

The four individuals from the City Lord's Mansion were stunned by Xu Xiaoshou's unwavering resolve. His demeanor was strikingly human. Even though everyone had just moments ago been convinced that Xu Xiaoshou was an undeniable Ghost Beast host, his resolute and forceful declaration made them question their initial assessment. Perhaps Night Watch truly made a mistake?

Night Watch's expression flickered between indecision. Xu Xiaoshou's words were logical. He truly couldn't refute them. His series of interrogations tonight, unbeknownst even to Night Watch himself, had indeed been colored by far too much subjective emotion.

"That's not right; I wouldn't usually act this way!""Why did it change tonight? Where did things go wrong?" Night Watch pondered.Even if he was initially mistaken, Xu Xiaoshou's answers throughout the interrogation hadn't been inappropriate in any single instance. In fact, even before his final refusal, he had demonstrated a power sufficient to slay a Sovereign. And not just one type of power! Under these circumstances, everyone had to concede that for a Spirit Cultivator possessing such a 'rather die than surrender' spirit, cooperating with the interrogation to this extent was truly the absolute limit. Xu Xiaoshou had indeed performed exceptionally well. Any further demands would likely yield no different results.

"'Berserk Giant,' you say?" Night Watch murmured, surprisingly without anger. He also understood. If Xu Xiaoshou truly were a Ghost Beast host, and they had interrogated him to this degree, he would still have remained completely watertight. Therefore, there was no point in pressing further. One side presented a perfectly executed disguise, while the other possessed only fragmented information. In such a contest, there was no way to uncover Xu Xiaoshou's true intentions or catch him off guard. And if the young man genuinely were innocent... truth be told, Night Watch, putting himself in Xu Xiaoshou's position, felt his own actions had been quite excessive. It was possible that if he were in Xu Xiaoshou's shoes, his final refusal might have been even more decisive.

"'For now, I'll believe you this once,'" he said softly, his indifferent gaze settling on Xu Xiaoshou's indignant face.

"Received Trust, Passive Value, 1."

Was it over? Xu Xiaoshou almost let his guard down, but then he suddenly realized. Perhaps this was Night Watch's ultimate test. If he relaxed even slightly, it would undoubtedly confirm he was hiding something. And that 'something' would, at this moment, become glaringly obvious to everyone.

"'Whether you believe me or not is your concern, not mine,'" Xu Xiaoshou scoffed, yet dared not be overly aggressive. He merely grumbled, "You refuse to investigate Zhang Taiying's affair, yet you persecute me instead. That's truly unpleasant."

"'Honestly, I doubt anyone could comfortably accept your trust.'" Night Watch offered a faint, noncommittal smile. Internally, however, he finally set his suspicions aside for the time being.

He was too calm. The young man's behavior was remarkably similar to that of an ordinary person who had been wrongly accused."'Is he faking it...'" Crow's feet deepened around Night Watch's eyes. But no matter how narrowly he squinted, he couldn't detect even a trace of anything amiss in Xu Xiaoshou's words or demeanor.

"'Enough,'" he declared. "'Let's leave it at that!'"

Glancing at the night sky, Night Watch sensed it was already too late. If they pressed on any further, it was quite possible that another person present might truly fall.

"'I can believe you, but you should know that if you don't demonstrate your so-called 'Berserk Giant,''" Night Watch stated meaningfully, "as a suspected Ghost Beast host—even if only 'suspected'—you might, from now on, live under the surveillance of the Red Coats."

"'Oh?'" Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up at the words. "'Really?'"

"'Of course,'" Night Watch replied. Yet, he sensed something odd about the young man's tone. As expected, upon hearing his concession, Xu Xiaoshou slapped his thigh in delight.

"'That's absolutely wonderful!'""'With the Red Coats' protection... ahem, surveillance, does that mean if Ghost Beasts keep coming after me, you'll all be obliged to intervene?'""'Standing idly by would be a grave offense, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it?'" Xu Xiaoshou counted on his fingers, calculating."'So, I guess I have a special constitution now? One from Tianxuan Gate, and one from the City Lord's Mansion.'""'It hasn't been long, yet with my Ghost Beast-attracting constitution, who knows, after a few more nights, new Ghost Beasts might come knocking on my door.'""'But if the Red Coats are protecting me...'"

The expressions of the City Lord's Mansion personnel instantly changed as they listened to Xu Xiaoshou's murmuring. Had Xu Xiaoshou truly encountered Ghost Beasts before? And more than one? No wonder then. No wonder this individual could so calmly and decisively slay the Ghost Beast that Zhang Taiying had transformed into. If it had been anyone else, perhaps at first glance, they would have been paralyzed with fear before the battle even began. After all, the mere mention of Ghost Beasts could make even Sovereigns apprehensive!

But... listening to what he said next, what kind of situation was this? Was he already planning how to use the Red Coats? How audacious was this man! The current affair wasn't even concluded, yet he was already strategizing how best to exploit his supposed 'surveillance'? Night Watch felt utterly distraught. Xu Xiaoshou was truly the first person he had ever met who would consider using the Red Coats as personal bodyguards. At this point, he suddenly wondered if his earlier menacing talk of 'surveillance' was a good thing or a bad thing.

"'No, perhaps Xu Xiaoshou is still feigning ignorance?'""'He wants to trick me, to provoke me into retracting my earlier statement and ceasing his surveillance?'" Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Night Watch, and he considered this possibility.

Just then, Xu Xiaoshou finished counting on his fingers and looked up, his eyes betraying a subtle excitement he tried desperately to hide, though it was still discernible.

"'So, you intend to assign a few people to me, for surveillance purposes?'" Xu Xiaoshou calmed himself slightly and said, "Monitoring a Ghost Beast host, even a suspected one, carries the risk of an outburst, doesn't it?""'I believe someone of your strength would be quite suitable.'""'As for those garbage-like Sovereigns such as Zhang Taiying...'" As Xu Xiaoshou spoke, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly turned to glance at the few individuals beside him, hastily adding, "I wasn't talking about you, not at all, please don't take it personally, heh heh.""'What I meant was...'" He turned back to Night Watch. "Those at the Sovereign level probably couldn't truly stop a powerful Ghost Beast host like me, could they?""'As for someone of your caliber, if you want to monitor me, feel free to send a few more; seriously!'" Xu Xiaoshou's face was utterly sincere.

Night Watch felt his head begin to pound. Was this Xu Xiaoshou the reincarnation of a persistent nuisance? How could he manage to hit everyone's most sensitive spot with every single sentence? It was clearly a special 'surveillance,' and the person being monitored should have been trembling with fear. Yet, when it came to Xu Xiaoshou, everything seemed to take an absurd turn.

"Received Curse, Passive Value, 1."

Night Watch was rendered speechless. He was already powerless to refute him. Surveillance? At this point, monitoring him seemed wrong, but not monitoring him also seemed wrong!

"'Hmm?'" In response to Night Watch's silence, Xu Xiaoshou remained equally quiet. He merely tilted his head slightly and let out a soft hum. Night Watch instantly felt his headache worsen. Even the slightest gesture from this guy was utterly infuriating, loathsome, and exasperating!

"Received Resentment, Passive Value, 1."

"'Where's your friend?'" Night Watch abruptly changed the topic, catching everyone off guard.

"'What friend?'" Xu Xiaoshou froze. Internally, however, he clicked his tongue in admiration. This old man truly was the most challenging and logically precise person he had ever bluffed. Even if everyone else had been led astray and confused by him, this old man, precisely, each time a conversation seemed to conclude, would, with a new question, pinpoint his most difficult and error-prone vulnerability.

Friend? What other friends could he possibly have that would pique Night Watch's interest? Naturally, only Xin Gugu! At the City Lord's Mansion gate back then, he had only come to know Night Watch because Xin Gugu might have inadvertently leaked some Ghost Beast aura—though he wasn't sure if it had been detected. Although this question concerned Xin Gugu, a poor answer would almost certainly implicate him greatly!

"'The one you met at the City Lord's Mansion, the one holding the golden staff — your friend,' Night Watch clarified."

Xu Xiaoshou thought, 'Just as I suspected.' In an instant, a myriad of thoughts flashed through his mind. But he clung stubbornly to one specific idea. Based on their repeated interactions, this Night Watch was undoubtedly an extremely irritable individual. If he had truly smelled Xin Gugu's Ghost Beast aura, how could he possibly have allowed him inside? Therefore, at that moment outside, he had merely suspected Xin Gugu based on his experience. Or rather... Xu Xiaoshou listened as Night Watch emphasized the 'golden staff,' clearly something that had left a deep impression on him. What he was truly focused on must have been this 'Restraining Artifact' capable of sealing Ghost Beast auras.

Xu Xiaoshou knew about 'Restraining Artifacts' because he and Xin Gugu had discussed the topic of Ghost Beast hosts in detail back at the manor. Although Xin Gugu hadn't elaborated much, the existence of 'Restraining Artifacts' had been revealed. As a Red Coat, Night Watch would naturally possess a profound understanding of such items. That's why he would have focused on Xin Gugu and subsequently grown suspicious of him.

But! As long as the Ghost Beast aura hadn't actually been detected, Xu Xiaoshou had a way to smooth things over! A flurry of thoughts raced through his mind, all in a fleeting instant. After hearing Night Watch's words, Xu Xiaoshou's eyes flickered, as if remembering something, and he casually replied, "'Oh, him? I wouldn't know.'"

"'You don't know?'" Such a casual tone, conversely, made Night Watch suspicious. In his original estimation, if this situation involved Ghost Beasts, then this young Sovereign with peculiar fluctuations should also be implicated. Because, truthfully, in Night Watch's experience, Xin Gugu seemed much more like a Ghost Beast host than Xu Xiaoshou. But now... Xu Xiaoshou's casual tone, as if speaking about an ordinary friend, conversely made him feel he had been overly suspicious.

"'Is he faking it?'""'Could he be faking it again?'" Such thoughts still flickered through Night Watch's mind. But he ultimately dismissed them. It couldn't be faked. If it truly were an act, then this young man before him wouldn't be merely a young man. Such profound cunning, such utterly natural acting—even Night Watch felt that, after this very question, he himself couldn't have managed such a flawless disguise.

"'You don't know?'" Night Watch also said casually, "You came in together; you wouldn't know where he went?"

"'Are you serious, Senior?'" Xu Xiaoshou's mouth dropped open. "'Is he going to the bathroom, and I'm supposed to follow him? We're all adults, after all. I'm not his parent; why would I keep my eyes glued on him?'"

Night Watch retorted directly, "'I saw him follow you out earlier, didn't I?'" In the banquet hall, he was one of the few who could observe all activity across the entire floor. Xin Gugu and Xu Xiaoshou had left one after the other. If they claimed to have both gone to the bathroom, Night Watch would be the first to disbelieve it.

"'Did I?'" Xu Xiaoshou looked confused. "'I recall losing sight of him after we came in. I have no idea where that guy ran off to...'" Indeed, it was so. Night Watch verified this step by step. Indeed, as soon as they entered, one went to the wine table, and the other mingled among the young people by the arena. Perhaps Xu Xiaoshou genuinely hadn't paid attention?

"'No way?'" Xu Xiaoshou suddenly widened his eyes. "'Could it be, Senior, that you actually suspect him of being a Ghost Beast host?'""'Wait, wait, in one night, you've somehow suspected two? No, three?'""'To be honest, I haven't actually known him for very long...'" Xu Xiaoshou explained, deflecting responsibility. It was the kind of excuse an ordinary person would make to avoid serious trouble. And in fact, he had only met Xin Gugu after arriving in Tiansang City; indeed, their acquaintance was barely a few days old.

Night Watch was still pondering. Xu Xiaoshou then tentatively asked, "'Could it be that you misidentified the scent again?'""'I believe I have another junior sister in the banquet hall. Perhaps you'd like to check her too? Who knows, she might be one as well?'""'Or perhaps, she's not merely a Ghost Beast born from another dimension, but rather an ancient powerful being who devoured the world's origin point, which created that dimensional space? And perhaps she's still sealed?'""'Honestly, I've always found my junior sister quite peculiar...'" Xu Xiaoshou's expression was utterly serious. Night Watch, however, detected a heavy scent of sarcasm.

"'Hmph!'" He flicked his sleeve, nearly storming off in a fit of pique. Yet, observing Xu Xiaoshou's various physiological reactions, none of them indicated the fluctuations one would expect from someone lying or faking. Unsolvable... Night Watch felt helpless. If he couldn't even resolve this point about Xin Gugu, then he truly had nothing left to ask.

His questions were exhausted. Xu Xiaoshou was too formidable. In the future, if this individual were truly revealed to be a Ghost Beast host, Night Watch vowed he would not be the first to strike him down. Instead, he would personally present him with a 'Master of Performance' trophy before finally severing the young man's head. It was too real! It was simply... genuinely real! The kind of real that made one question if it was, in fact, an act. Yet, if it had been perfectly 'real,' Night Watch would have grown highly suspicious. But Xu Xiaoshou... he was too human, too authentic! His perfectly timed resolve, and the subtle, harmless imperfections in his speech, these elements lent his 'authenticity' a more human touch, preventing it from appearing as a mere ethereal, idealistically perfect lie.

"'I lost.'" After an entire night of interrogation, Night Watch realized he had managed to extract nothing. Not only that, but he had also been forced to directly overturn all his pre-interrogation conclusions by Xu Xiaoshou's counter-questions, ultimately only confirming the irrational fact that the deceased Zhang Taiying had been a Ghost Beast host. But was it useful? The person was already dead... At this juncture, regardless of the outcome, he was, in essence, an utter failure. Night Watch sighed. His questions were exhausted. Xu Xiaoshou had passed.

"'Alas!'" Lowering his head, Night Watch simply turned and left. He couldn't be bothered to greet Fu Zhi and the others; he simply wanted to return to the banquet hall to relay the final details.

"'Senior.'" Xu Xiaoshou, however, called out to him as if completely unafraid of death.

"'What is it?'" Night Watch turned back grumpily. For the young man before him, he felt both profound aversion and deep admiration from the bottom of his heart. He was truly formidable! Across the entire continent, he was the foremost individual Night Watch had ever encountered who possessed such a formidable combination of intellect, talent, and strength—bar none!

"'Senior, are you leaving already?'" Xu Xiaoshou asked, as if reluctant for him to go.

"'Yes.'" Night Watch was economical with his words. He felt that his quota for talking with this young man had been entirely depleted for the night; any further conversation would only infuriate him. After all, he no longer had any questions.

"'I should be in the clear, right?'" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"'You're still a suspect!'" Night Watch snapped.

"'And my friend, is he still suspected?'" Night Watch paused, then slowly nodded. "'Mm.'"

"'What about my junior sister?'" Night Watch's face darkened; he felt Xu Xiaoshou was truly becoming a problem. Any more conversation, and trouble was guaranteed! He simply didn't want to speak anymore. He shot into the air and swiftly flew towards the banquet hall.

Xu Xiaoshou irritably rolled his eyes. Then, cupping his hands around his mouth, he bellowed: "'Senior, I think *you're* the one with a problem!'""'Your nose must be acting up; it could be rhinitis. You should see a doctor right away!'"

Night Watch's figure, soaring through the void, staggered abruptly, nearly infuriated enough to flash back and thoroughly beat Xu Xiaoshou. But ultimately, he held back. Never mind. After all, he had wrongly accused the young man, and not apologizing was already excessive. If he were to beat someone up after being verbally provoked, the Red Coats' reputation would surely suffer.

"Received Forgiveness, Passive Value, 1."

"'Heh.'""'None of them were accurate.'" Xu Xiaoshou scoffed, looking very much like a triumphant villain after winning a battle. He turned his head and looked at the four individuals from the City Lord's Mansion.

"Swish!" With a soft sound, all four simultaneously took a step back.

"'Ahem?'" Xu Xiaoshou's expression immediately became a little awkward. What was this reaction? "You four Sovereigns, are you actually afraid of a mere Innate like me? What are you afraid of?""'I'm a good person.'" Xu Xiaoshou craned his neck, asking incredulously, "'I'm truly not a Ghost Beast host. Elder Brother Fu, you wouldn't actually believe that old man's nonsense, would you?'"

"'Old man...'" The corners of the City Lord's Mansion personnel's mouths twitched in unison.

"Received Admiration, Passive Value, 4."

Old Fu Zhi watched Xu Xiaoshou turn his head and immediately felt the same headache that Night Watch must have experienced. From the moment they first met, with Xu Xiaoshou's astonishing explosion that brought forth a sea of flowers, he knew this young man was far from ordinary. But he never imagined that the 'extraordinary' aspect he had anticipated in this individual was, in fact, his usual state. That quick wit, that tactic of blowing his own City Lord's Mansion to smithereens... Now *this* was truly extraordinary! Compared to this, the sea of flowers? That was nothing!

"'It's not that bad, not that bad...'" Fu Zhi waved his hand and said, "'From beginning to end, I have always believed Brother Shou is innocent.'""'Of course, the Red Coats have their own rules, and routine interrogations are usually unavoidable. If everyone takes a step back, we can all relax.' He played the role of the peacemaker."

"'I naturally understand the Red Coats' rules, but that old man is too subjective. He prejudges everything, making it seem as though I've done something wrong.' Xu Xiaoshou nodded. Such grumbling from his own people could sometimes be crucial. Who knew, it might even reach Night Watch's ears and alleviate some of the suspicion against him!

"'Did something wrong...'" Fu Zhi and the others exchanged glances. Out of the corners of their eyes, they all glimpsed the entire City Lord's Mansion, which had been utterly pulverized. Aside from areas protected by special spirit arrays, no other structures survived.

"'Heh heh, Brother Shou certainly didn't do anything wrong.'""'Elder Brother Night Watch was absolutely correct as well; the Sovereign-level killing intent you encountered in the City Lord's Mansion was indeed a dereliction of duty on the part of the guards.'""'We, rightfully, should compensate you.'"

Xu Xiaoshou was now in an awkward position. He looked at Old Fu Zhi's beaming smile, thinking to himself that these old men were all truly smiling tigers.

"'It's not that bad, not that bad...'""'After all, blowing up the City Lord's Mansion was also my fault.'""'Of course, I know Elder Brother Fu is one of us and surely wouldn't mind. So, I won't bother with polite talk about compensation.'"

Fu Zhi's smile immediately froze. "'Oh, come on!'""'We can address things one by one!'"

"'Right?'" As he spoke, Xu Xiaoshou stepped forward and draped an arm over Elder Brother Fu's shoulder.

"'Heh heh.'" What else could Fu Zhi do? He could only manage a strained, insincere wry smile.

"'Alright.'"

The banquet hall... amidst a desolate expanse of barren, scorched earth. Dishevelled but excited, individuals resembling savages gathered around, chattering noisily. The only thing missing was a bonfire. It already felt like a grand gathering.

"'Did you hear that explosion?'" the wild-looking people muttered."'Are you blind? Could you *not* see that immense explosion just now?'""'That was a battle between Sovereigns!'""'More importantly, did you hear what Senior Red Coat said just as he was leaving?'""'I speculate that for him to abandon his duty concerning the Spirit Arrays, it must mean that Ghost Beasts have infiltrated the City Lord's Mansion!'"

"'Ghost Beasts?'""'What are Ghost Beasts?'" While many knowledgeable individuals were present, the secrets of Ghost Beasts were genuinely unfamiliar to most."'I don't know much, but I've heard they are terrifying, malevolent entities of legend – dreadful demons capable of inciting continental chaos.'""'But for Ghost Beasts to infiltrate a righteous force like the City Lord's Mansion, it suggests the current situation is far from simple!'"

"'But...'""'Didn't Princess Fu just say it was a battle between Zhang Taiying and Xu Xiaoshou?'" someone wondered."'Zhang Taiying and Xu Xiaoshou? Are you insane? Who said that? Was it truly Fu Yinhong?'""'That doesn't sound right. Could it be that one of those two is actually a Ghost Beast...'""'Xu Xiaoshou! It must be Xu Xiaoshou, without a doubt! That guy looks just like a Ghost Beast, with his pale, jade-like face. He makes people jealous just by looking at him; he's definitely a Ghost Beast!'""'Ahem, shouldn't Ghost Beasts be extraordinarily ugly...'"

The multitude of onlookers who had originally been in the banquet hall were now, after the explosion, clearly idle. Having barely clung to life under the protection of several Sovereign-level domains, the only thing they could do now was to revel in the unseen gossip.

After a long while, Night Watch, having observed the battle and concluded his interrogation, finally swiftly returned to the ruins of the banquet hall.

"'He's back.'" Everyone was initially overjoyed to see the old man return. However, a terrifying sword mark stretching from his shoulder to his foot, combined with his shattered clothing, truly startled everyone.

"'Are Ghost Beasts that terrifying?'"

Night Watch said nothing further. He glanced at the void behind him, then immediately strode forward, gave a few instructions to the various Spirit Array Masters, and then instantly vanished from the spot without a backward glance.

No sooner had he left than Xu Xiaoshou, leading the four Sovereigns, descended to the ground.

"Received Gaze, Passive Value, 1220."

Like a fleeting dream, the familiar sensation of the information bar scrolling across his vision returned, filling Xu Xiaoshou with a comfort so profound he wanted to shout out loud.

"'Little Junior Sister, let's go!'" He called out, then suddenly paused. "'Oh, right, did you secure the White Cave quota?'"

Mu Zixi responded by running over, her twin ponytails bouncing. "'The White Cave quota, shouldn't we wait for them to announce it?'"

"'Wait?'" Xu Xiaoshou looked at the girl.

"'Yes, everyone is waiting for you.'"

"'Waiting for me?'"

"'Yes, after all, you took the lion's share of the White Cave quotas,' Mu Zixi giggled."

"'Lion's share? How much?'" Xu Xiaoshou asked, patting the little girl's head. Before Mu Zixi could reply, he felt numerous gazes, seemingly murderous, pierce him from the void. He looked up to see a sea of crimson eyes staring back at him.

"Received Envy, Passive Value, 886.""Received Jealousy, Passive Value, 1211.""Received Resentment, Passive Value, 1220."