Chapter 512: Guarding the Night with Fury, Angrily Silencing the Storyteller

"Self-destruct?"

Ye Xiao was stunned. Only then did he realize that the power he had unleashed in his fury had already exceeded what the White Cave mini-world could withstand. If he didn't hold back now and continued this standoff, even if the man in the red dress below didn't self-destruct, by the time his "Heaven Punishing Hand" shattered the ancient book's illusion, the mini-world's heavenly laws would likely be unable to cope.

Furthermore...

"The Holy Slave's Seventh Hand," so weak? A vague sense of unease made Ye Xiao's spiritual energy falter.

The storyteller below, being who he was, immediately sensed this opportunity. He forcibly moved his fractured arms and began to form hand seals to draw power.

"Yin-Yang Life-Death, Seal!"

In an instant, the ancient book's illusion pushed open the "Heaven Punishing Hand" and its pages rustled. Until a blank page appeared, and the magnificent, world-overturning light palm transformed into a streak of light, drawn into the ancient book's space.

"Boom!"

After containing the light streak, the ancient book's illusion trembled. As if overloaded, faint sounds of space fracturing emanated from within. The storyteller closed the book, turned, and instantly vanished dozens of yards away.

"Damn it," he grumbled inwardly, "if I hadn't only brought an an illusion here, even with just this external avatar, I could have sealed you." Last time, at the Red Cloak base, although it was also an external avatar acting, he had brought the original "Yin-Yang Life-Death" scripture. Naturally, even if that Black Underworld had peak Dao-slaying abilities, he was no match for a single blow. But this time in White Cave, his main body and the original "Yin-Yang Life-Death" had more critical missions. What right did he, an external avatar merely seeking "Wen Ming" for entertainment and incidentally scouting the White Cave's situation, have to bring the original "Yin-Yang Life-Death" into battle? If Ye Xiao hadn't held back, he truly might have been suppressed and killed in a single round!

"Holy Slave?" Ye Xiao, hands clasped behind his back, drew the night veil back into himself, and said indifferently, "The Holy Slave's Seventh Hand, the Storyteller?"

"That's right." The storyteller proudly lifted his chin, not denying it. He swallowed a pill, and the injuries on his body quickly recovered.

"Seventh Hand, so weak?" A hint of a smile played on Ye Xiao's lips.

"Weak?" The storyteller was furious, stomping his foot. He couldn't stand such arrogant and presumptuous people. But right now... the power was completely uneven. This guy, merely at the peak of Dao-slaying, inexplicably possessed Void Power, which could only be comprehended after surviving the Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation. He was the butcher, and I was the fish. What could he do?

"I just got injured in an explosion, otherwise, I could crush you with one finger, believe it or not?" The storyteller pouted.

"Injured in an explosion..." Ye Xiao chewed on the phrase. Presumably, if nothing else, it was the explosion caused by this storyteller battling some unknown ghost beast?

"I have a few questions that require your cooperation." Ye Xiao stepped forward, moving closer.

"Whoosh!" The storyteller, like a startled bird, immediately retreated.

"Can you run away?" Ye Xiao used the 'shrinking the ground to inches' technique, keeping his distance but hovering near.

The storyteller's movement paused, and he finally stopped. "I don't want to answer, and you hit me!" He pouted, rubbing his index fingers together, feigning tears.

"I!" Goosebumps immediately prickled Ye Xiao from head to toe. This kind of sugary-sweet verbal assault was even more damaging than a direct sword strike to a hot-tempered brute like him.

"You can choose to self-destruct; I can handle it and maintain the White Cave mini-world's operational balance," Ye Xiao took a deep breath and continued, "But you can also choose to talk to me calmly and save your life!"

The storyteller weighed his options for a moment, realizing he was no match for this guy. He nodded helplessly. "Alrighty then!" "I've agreed to you, just don't be too rough, okay!"

"Crunch, crunch—" Ye Xiao's fists clenched with an audible crack. He couldn't take it anymore!

"First, we can talk, but in our conversation, do not use interjections like 'ma,' 'la,' or 'ya.' And do not refer to yourself as 'renjia' (I/me)!" he strained, holding his breath.

"You don't like it?" The storyteller's eyes darted. In a demure voice, he said, "Then... this humble servant?"

"Bang!" The void directly shattered. Even the heavenly laws disintegrated. Ye Xiao remained motionless, his unexpressed anger conveying immense power.

The storyteller, startled, clutched his chest, instinctively pursing his lips. "You scared baby!"

Ye Xiao: "..."

That's it! This guy's habit is deeply ingrained, completely unchangeable, isn't it?! He sighed heavily, trying his best to calm himself. The Red Cloaks' rule was never to easily show emotion in front of any prisoner. Clearly, he had just failed miserably at that.

"Quiet." "From this moment on, you will answer whatever I ask." "Otherwise, say one more word..." Ye Xiao's eyes narrowed, his gaze chillingly murderous: "I'll kill you!"

"Oh." The storyteller clasped his legs together, hands folded and resting on his waist. "I... understand!"

Ye Xiao's mouth twitched. "Question!"

Before Ye Xiao could speak, the storyteller raised his hand like a good little baby and timidly said, "I... uh, this humble... uh, can I change my dress? There's so much blood, you see..." He frowned and looked down. He saw his newly changed red dress covered in the scent of blood again, and was utterly displeased.

Ye Xiao forced himself to unclench his fists and said in a deep voice, "One more thing, you have no right to ask questions!"

"Oh." "Understood then!"

Ye Xiao's eyelids twitched wildly; he was truly about to lose it. Was this guy doing it on purpose, or was it subconscious? In just these few sentences, he felt he had heard more interjections than in his entire life. Ye Xiao, you are a Red Cloak, you can do this! You endured Xu Xiaoshou's annoyingness; aren't a few interjections something you can tolerate?

"Take this." Ye Xiao casually tossed something. A shadow flashed past.

"Ack!" The storyteller, startled, dodged sideways, and the object hit the ground with a "thud." This... who could stand this?

With a "boom!" Ye Xiao broke the sound barrier, grabbed the storyteller by the neck with one hand, and lifted him off the ground.

"I told you—to take it!" His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulged on his forehead, and he roared hoarsely, shattering the ground.

"I-I-I... I'm scared..." The storyteller's eyebrows arched, and his face turned grim. He lowered his head, saw his dress torn by the vibrations, and immediately covered his chest. "It's, it's showing..."

"Shut up!!!" Ye Xiao roared.

"Oh."

"Pick it up." Ye Xiao nodded, regaining his composure.

"I can't pick it up, you, you're holding me..." Before the storyteller could finish, he felt a sharp pain in his backside as his body was slammed to the ground. "Ouch." He cried out in pain, but his eyes involuntarily darted to the object nearby.

"A token?" This token, completely pitch-black, without any decorative patterns, utterly plain, looked like an iron disc. Other than a single "Ban" character, there was nothing else on it. His pupils constricted; the storyteller recognized what it was.

Within the Holy Divine Palace, they had their own methods for dealing with prisoners. Foremost among them was this "Martial Ban Token!" The Martial Ban Token was forged from sealing stones mixed with other high-grade spiritual ores. It was also engraved with a Heavenly Secret Array, meticulously crafted by the Dao Division, one of the six divisions of the Holy Divine Palace. Even a Dao-slayer, if subjected to the Martial Ban Token, not an ounce of their spiritual energy could be used. If he really touched this thing, he would truly be at their mercy!

"I... I won't take it!" The storyteller shook his head like a rattle drum.

"So you know about the 'Martial Ban Token'," Ye Xiao sneered, "But you don't have the right not to take it." He spread his hand, and dark night patterns reappeared on his arms.

"I'll take it, I'll take it." The storyteller painfully closed his eyes, rubbing his sore backside with his left hand, then casually touched the ancient book. Only then did his right hand touch the "Martial Ban Token."

"Buzz!" The black token vibrated. The "Ban" character on it vanished. The storyteller flipped his hand and looked. The "Ban" character, just as rumored, was indeed imprinted directly onto his palm.

"It's over." "This external avatar is ruined." "I wonder if Brother has a way to undo this thing..." His heart was bitter, but the storyteller said nothing. He should have run. But he couldn't! If he ran, what would happen to the ancient book's illusion? Leave it behind? Give it to this Red Cloak in front of him? What a joke! The ghost beast with sealing power that he had just sealed – even if this external avatar was ruined, he absolutely had to bring it back for his brother. Otherwise, what was the point of all this struggle?

At this moment, having calmed down, he fully understood. The icy power emanating from the ancient book must be from the "Three-Day Freeze Tribulation" of the Spiritual Melting Marsh. This ice flame wasn't the "Ashen Illumination Origin Seed"; its temperament wasn't so volatile. So it couldn't have acted on its own. The fact that the ancient book was still reacting could only mean one thing. The sealed ghost beast had already begun to interfere with the power within the ancient book's space. It might even break free in moments. After all, that was sealing power!

The storyteller was almost in tears. He had planned to take a nice bath, then, once the ancient book's space stabilized, enter to retrieve the "Ashen Illumination Origin Seed" and the "Three-Day Freeze Tribulation", and then tame the sealed ghost beast. Unexpectedly, now look. A Red Cloak with such high combat power had appeared, completely disrupting his plans.

"Brother!" "Help! Come save me!"

"Very good." Ye Xiao watched the storyteller obediently pick up the "Martial Ban Token" and finally settled down. The "Martial Ban Token" crafted by the Heavenly Secret Team "Dao Division," personally trained by the Dao Hall Master, was so effective that even if the "Holy Slave's" leader came and took it, they would still have to obediently kneel for instruction.

"Now, whatever I ask, you answer. Say one extra word, and you're finished." Ye Xiao leaned in, "Understand?"

"Oh."

"Good. I ask you, the explosion is related to you. Who were you fighting?" Ye Xiao's eyes narrowed.

"I wasn't fighting!" The storyteller forcefully slammed the ground.

"Renjia?" Ye Xiao's voice turned cold, and he raised his hand.

"Oh, oh, I, I, it was me..." The storyteller formed an orchid hand gesture and brought it to his head defensively, "Don't hit people... me, don't hit me!"

"Phew!" Ye Xiao decided not to dwell on it. A leopard can't change its spots. People like this, with such habits, are destined to be unchangeable by force.

"You weren't fighting, so who caused the explosion?"

"I don't know." A young figure suddenly flashed in the storyteller's mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Impossible!

"Heh!" Ye Xiao sneered, "If it wasn't you and that ghost beast breaking the Heaven and Earth Array, how would the Spiritual Melting Marsh explode?"

"I wasn't fighting, I'm very well-behaved, I don't like killing people!" The storyteller looked aggrieved.

"You should know, you're holding the 'Martial Ban Token'," Ye Xiao gestured with his eyes.

"I know, so I wouldn't dare to lie." The storyteller, holding his torn dress, explained, "When I arrived, the aura of the 'Ashen Illumination Origin Seed' had already leaked out. And on the other side, that group of guys had already opened the Heaven and Earth Array of the Icy Realm. The explosion was bound to happen sooner or later, how can you blame it on me?"

Ye Xiao squinted, slowly nodding. "Very well, I believe you." "But the Heaven and Earth Array of the Icy Realm cannot be broken by ordinary cultivators. How was it opened?"

The storyteller's pained expression froze. He thought of the sealed ghost beast. But this thing was meant for his brother. "How would I know?"

"You're lying!" Ye Xiao suddenly snapped, "I said earlier that you were battling a ghost beast. You only denied the latter part, saying nothing about the first part! You implicitly admitted it!" "I..." "So the ghost beast is with you, and you're harboring it?"

Ye Xiao let out a short, mirthless laugh, spreading his hands. "You need to understand, you are a 'Holy Slave.' Even if you fall into my hands, you will ultimately be handed over to the White Cloaks for disposal. But if it concerns a ghost beast, and you're implicated— Believe it or not, once I'm done questioning you, not even your soul will remain!" His face was completely cold and grim. The Red Cloaks' duty was to eradicate ghost beasts. If anyone was found to be involved with ghost beasts, soul-whipping would be considered a light punishment.

"Alright, there was a ghost beast." The storyteller gave up struggling. This old guy in front of him was truly no ordinary person.

"You lied to me once. I've noted it." Ye Xiao held up a finger. "You can have a second chance, but you'd better think carefully about how you use it. Once it's discovered again..." With a sneer, Ye Xiao straightened his back, standing with his hands behind him. "The Red Cloaks never grant humans or ghost beasts the right to deceive a third time."

"Oh." The storyteller nodded seriously, "Please ask, please ask."

Ye Xiao sat directly on the ground, deliberately moving a little distance away, and said kindly, "What attribute is that ghost beast?" The storyteller's expression remained unchanged. But inwardly, a turbulent storm raged. Such a direct question? Could it be that this old man in front of him had already discovered something? He had heard that the ghost beast that previously escaped from the White Cave possessed sealing attributes. At that time, when it first broke through the realm, it almost annihilated more than a dozen teams of Red Cloaks. This was also why his heart had stirred when he saw the sealed ghost beast. And now, directly asking about its attribute... if he hadn't discovered something, it would be impossible! Because for other ghost beasts, their attributes weren't important at all!

"I'm not very clear..." The storyteller showed no change in expression, a hint of recollection in his eyes. "When I arrived there, the Icy Realm had already been breached. The only thing I saw was that the ghost beast could use ice evasion."

Ye Xiao stared at the storyteller's face, silent for a long moment.

"What is it?" Realizing the atmosphere was off, the storyteller turned his head, puzzled. "Is there a problem?"

"No." Ye Xiao nodded. "Ice evasion, you say? So it's ice-attributed?"

"I don't know about that. If I said it too certainly and it turned out to be wrong, wouldn't you think I was lying to you?" The storyteller shrank back in fear. "I really don't want to die."

"Don't want to die..." Ye Xiao murmured, then chuckled softly, "Then, from the perspective of you, the 'Holy Slave's Seventh Hand,' a peak Dao-slayer who has also survived the 'Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation'— What attribute is it?"

The storyteller was stunned. This accusation... isn't he just trying to say that I'm impressive, that I can discern the ghost beast's attribute? He subconsciously wanted to blurt out some nonsense. But seeing the utterly grim face opposite him, the storyteller knew that if he really spoke nonsense this time, the other party might genuinely destroy him.

The wind rustled. Although the night veil had already been retracted by Ye Xiao, the storyteller's heart was suddenly completely enveloped in black.

"Speak." "Relax." Ye Xiao tapped his finger on the ground, saying softly, "Speak when you've thought it through. I don't like killing people; I only kill ghost beasts."

The storyteller withdrew his gaze and lowered his head. "Actually, I... uh, I really can't tell very well. It doesn't seem to be ice-attributed, but it uses ice evasion. I can't explain that. But I arrived late, and apart from that fleeting ice evasion, I saw almost nothing else. Or perhaps, if it's not ice-attributed, it's hiding something?"

"Look at me." Ye Xiao suddenly spoke.

"Hm?" The storyteller pursed his lips, his gaze shifting upwards, only to pull it back after a single glance. "Shy, shy..."

At this, Ye Xiao's lungs twitched, and he tore up a handful of dirt from the ground. Even though the interrogation had reached this stage... This guy, he was doing it on purpose! He was intentionally trying to disrupt the flow of the questioning!

"Answer me." Ye Xiao released his grip, dusting off the sand, and said, "Ice attribute, yes or no?"

"I'm not very clear..." This time, the storyteller shook his head decisively.

"Bang!" The ground instantly exploded. Ye Xiao angrily slammed his fist down, and the storyteller was completely launched upwards.

"Ah—" Amidst the scream, the void suddenly twisted, transforming into spatial chains that bound the storyteller's body in mid-air, suspending him horizontally. Immediately, black power spread from the ground, rising bit by bit. It then gathered above the storyteller's neck, forming a dark side-blade. Sticky black droplets dripped down, sliding from the storyteller's neck, pulling a long thread in mid-air.

A panicked expression appeared on the storyteller's face. "I didn't lie to you, I told you everything! Why are you trying to kill me?"

"Stop pretending. How tiring it must be for the dignified 'Holy Slave's Seventh Hand'." Ye Xiao sneered and said, "Let me ask more clearly. Ice attribute, yes or no?" He paused, then added, "Your answer can only be within two words. Understand?"

The storyteller's face pleaded, "I really don't know, I..."

"Swoosh!" The side-blade rotated in the void, then plunged vertically, piercing directly through the storyteller's back. Blood gushed out. The storyteller coughed up blood with a "phut" and immediately fell unconscious.

"My apologies, I forgot you're an ordinary person now." Ye Xiao wiped the blood from his face, and with a "slap," a telekinetic slap, woke the storyteller up. "Answer, yes or no."

The storyteller stopped pretending now. His face became completely grim.

"What's your name?"

"Ye Xiao." Ye Xiao said with a smile, "You're welcome to seek revenge."

"Remember today, remember this moment." The storyteller's voice also turned completely cold.

"I will." Ye Xiao, still smiling, continued to ask, "Ice attribute, yes, or no?"

"No!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—" The dark side-blade transformed into over a dozen short arrows in the void, instantly shooting out and impaling the storyteller from all directions, turning him into a pincushion.

"Drip, drip, drip..." Blood fell in handfuls. Ye Xiao suddenly froze, scratching his head. "Oh, sorry, you said 'no.' That's a bit different from what I expected!" "My apologies, I couldn't stop myself for a moment."

The storyteller's face was utterly pale, and he was on his last breath. "You will die a terrible death..." He spoke weakly, one word at a time. Blood flowed down his horizontally suspended body, quickly staining the paper-white ground red.

"If it's not ice-attributed, what attribute is it?" Ye Xiao ignored the guy's nonsense.

"I don't know..."

"Boom!" The chains suspending the storyteller in the void suddenly yanked upwards, directly flinging the figure dozens of yards into the sky. Then, the black short arrows below reformed, shaping into a massive sword with its blade pointing upwards. One ascending. One descending.

"Whizz!" "Thud!" The storyteller's body was directly impaled, passing through the sword, and slamming onto the ground. The ancient book he had been clutching also fell to the ground with a smack.

Ye Xiao stood up. His calmness suddenly vanished, and he roared hoarsely, utterly enraged. "What nonsense are you spouting?! If you don't know, what is the remnant sealing energy in the 'Spiritual Melting Marsh'? Do you take me for a fool?! Even if you think an explosion can erase all traces, even if you look down on me, an old man at the peak of Dao-slaying who hasn't even passed one tribulation of the 'Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation'— But you should at least believe the Dao Hall Master! If Dao-slayers can't detect traces, can Heavenly Secret Arts not detect them either? The sealing energy is so obvious... You even managed to contain my 'Heaven Punishing Hand'; it's all in your space, right? The sealed ghost beast, and treasures? Now that you've taken everything, you're telling me you only saw ice evasion?! I'll ice your damn perverted pineapple evasion! I'll wipe you out!"

Ye Xiao rushed out, infuriated, pulled the black longsword from the ground, and was about to bring it down.

"Crack, crack—" Just then, faint sounds came from the ancient book. The sword strike paused, Ye Xiao stopped, and looked towards the sound.

"Crack, crack—" A few more crisp sounds. This time, Ye Xiao saw clearly. The ground beneath the ancient book had actually frozen?

"Ice attribute?" Ye Xiao was stunned. Did I bluff wrongly? Could it be that he really misunderstood the other party? The sealed ghost beast hadn't appeared; was it really ice-attributed?

"Hehe." "Haha." "Heeheeheehee..." The storyteller, curled up on the ground, suddenly let out a morbid, eerie laugh. "You're very impressive." "I have to admit, among the Red Cloaks I've encountered, you're one of the most audacious. Even without any sealing energy, you managed to act so convincingly." The storyteller lifted his head, his face covered in blood, yet he laughed wildly. "Impressive." After giving a thumbs up, his expression became completely cold and grim. "You just want the sealed ghost beast, don't you?" "I'll give it to you, all of it!" "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you: the Three-Day Freeze Tribulation, the Ashen Illumination Origin Seed, the sealed ghost beast..." He paused, convulsing in pain on the ground for a moment, then grimaced with a sneer: "I'll give them all to you! How about I release them all, and we can die together!"

"All of them?" Ye Xiao hoisted his greatsword, squinted, walked over, and picked up the ancient book. He felt that the ancient book was completely different from its previous calmness; it was now trembling violently, with various spatial pathways twisting in chaotic disorder. He lightly brushed off the dust from the object in his hand, then turned his head.

"Don't you have the 'Martial Ban Token'? How did you do that?"

"Heehee." The storyteller raised an orchid-finger, wiped away the blood blurring his eyes, and said with a demure chuckle, "What about before the 'Martial Ban Token'? I still had a little power to resist!"