Chapter 535: Rules

As Xu Xiaoshou spoke, all the black-robed figures present simultaneously turned to look at the short boy behind them. At this point, even an idiot could tell who the mastermind was.

"You're very sharp," the black-robed boy said, hesitating twice before finally stepping forward.

"Whether I'm sharp or not is beside the point. Aren't you a Red Guard? Have you forgotten the Red Guards' rules? Do you think it's appropriate to impersonate others here and ruin their reputation?" Xu Xiaoshou said, clutching the famous sword "Azure Scale Ridge" and casting a cold glance.

As these words fell, all the black-robed figures panicked simultaneously.

"A Red Guard?" "This doesn't seem right!" "Boss, is he really a Red Guard? If this guy is a Red Guard, why would he ignore our actions?"

The second black-robed figure was shocked. He had absolutely no idea about this, nor could he understand it. If this boy was a Red Guard, how could he act contrary to their rules and urge them to do such things?

The black-robed boy glanced around, clearly seeing the panic in the eyes of his companions. "I'm not a Red Guard; you've mistaken me for someone else," he whispered.

Xu Xiaoshou scoffed. "Still pretending?" "Little Red Guard, do you really think I know nothing?" "If I'm not mistaken..." Xu Xiaoshou recalled Shouxie's words at the end of the previous "Fiery Serpent" incident and said, "Lu Ke?"

"Uh," the black-robed boy clearly froze for a moment.

"What, did I call out your name, and now you can't keep up the act?" Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. "Little brat, Shouxie is looking for you. He told me if you don't return to the team soon, he'll give you a good thrashing. Believe it or not?"

"You!"

The black-robed boy, Lu Ke, was clearly angered by Xu Xiaoshou's tone, but he didn't retort directly. Instead, he said, "Xu Xiaoshou, don't forget, you are currently number one on the Red Guards' blacklist in the White Cave." "Even if I'm not officially with the team right now, I still received Uncle Shouxie's notification." "Now that you've encountered a Red Guard, instead of surrendering, you're showing off here. Do you find that amusing?" He scoffed, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.

However, after these words, Xu Xiaoshou showed little reaction. Instead, the group of black-robed figures who had been clustered beside him became as nervous as startled birds.

"He's really a Red Guard?" "Damn it, how can there be such a young Red Guard? Boss, why didn't you say anything?" "Do you know something?" "If this guy is a Red Guard, then our escape from the 'Thirty-Six Heavens Sealing Array' would mean..." "Shut up!"

The black-robed boss couldn't help but yell. He, too, had naturally been kept in the dark. But whether the boy in front of him was a Red Guard or not, the power he displayed when he took him down was something no ordinary Spirit Refiner could resist. What could he do? Other than obeying and acting according to the boy's commands, what other choice did he have?

"Run!" Seeing the black-robed boss's stern, silent face, the crowd finally couldn't hold it together. They were already a temporarily assembled team. Now that even their boss's will was wavering, how could the team possibly be maintained? A shout erupted, and everyone scattered like startled birds.

"Who dares to leave?" Seeing the people in front about to flee, the boy Lu Ke let out a clear cry. Sword intent filled the sky, locking down the entire area. At this, everyone watching from Ling Palace was stunned. The figures around them who had tried to lift their legs suddenly erupted with white sword qi, not only immobilizing them but also continuously inflicting damage, cutting them until they were bleeding profusely.

"Grandmaster Sword Intent?" Su Qianqian's heart jolted. Observing the boy's level of sword intent, although he was also a grandmaster, he was undoubtedly many times more powerful than her, who had just entered the mastery. Just the application of this "All Things Are Swords" technique was clearly not at the level of a beginner in swordsmanship. At the very least, among the sword cultivators present who could contend with him... Su Qianqian couldn't help but turn her head to look at Brother Xiaoshou.

Xu Xiaoshou also looked astonished. He could also achieve this full-area "Man is Sword" technique. But to control and injure people like this boy, and not just injure them, but injure them with such exquisite precision, distributing varying amounts of sword intent according to each person's constitution—completely rendering the controlled individuals unable to resist, yet continuously suffering... Xu Xiaoshou admitted he couldn't do it. It was too brilliant! And after executing such a technique, the boy remained so relaxed. It was clear that this burst of sword intent was effortless for him, a mere whim.

"I want to make a deal with you," the boy Lu Ke said steadily, watching as everyone was controlled and could no longer interfere.

"A deal?" Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow, looking at the famous sword in his hand.

"Not that," Lu Ke's eye twitched, and with a pull of his hand, "Boom!" The "Azure Scale Ridge" in Xu Xiaoshou's hand vibrated violently, numbing his palm.

"Go in." Casually tossing the item into his Yuan Mansion, Xu Xiaoshou smiled and asked, "What's the deal?" "Where did you put my sword?" Lu Ke exclaimed in surprise. After Xu Xiaoshou's actions, he completely lost all trace of the "Azure Scale Ridge." This meant that where Xu Xiaoshou had stored the "Azure Scale Ridge" was definitely not a spatial ring. After all, if it were such a space, a simple summons would bring the "Azure Scale Ridge" back.

"You don't need to know..." Xu Xiaoshou said with a smile. But before he finished speaking, the boy Lu Ke made a hand seal, and a loud dragon's roar suddenly echoed from within the Yuan Mansion. "Roar—" After the sound, sword intent surged skyward. A green light shot out from the Yuan Mansion, flipped twice in the void, and finally landed directly in Lu Ke's hand. "Azure Scale Ridge?" After clearly seeing that it was the famous sword he had 'imprisoned', it was Xu Xiaoshou's turn to be astonished. The Yuan Mansion; could it also be summoned from there?

"It's useless," Su Qianqian chuckled softly, explaining, "Brother Xiaoshou, if he's the true wielder of a famous sword, then no matter where the famous sword is lost, it will always return promptly with a single summons from its master." "This is what a famous sword is!"

"Exactly," Lu Ke scoffed, interjecting, "Xu Xiaoshou, I merely wanted to make a deal with you, but I didn't expect you to..." "A famous sword, who wouldn't love one?" Xu Xiaoshou interrupted him indifferently.

Although he hadn't expected such an entity as a famous sword to be able to breach even the Yuan Mansion, it was no big deal if he couldn't keep it. It was no wonder, then, that this boy didn't panic at all when his sword was taken by someone else. It seemed that a famous sword, once it acknowledged a master, was truly that powerful.

"Yuan Mansion..." Xu Xiaoshou murmured softly, then asked, "What's the deal?"

"Fiery Serpent!" Lu Ke said directly, "I want your Fiery Serpent."

"Oh?" "You're also interested in my sword?" Xu Xiaoshou immediately found it amusing. "Isn't this strange? I'm interested in your sword, and you're interested in mine. How about we trade?" He said, pulling out the "Fiery Serpent" from his ring.

Everyone's gaze simultaneously fixed on it, even Rao Yinyin's eyes narrowed. "Is it really a famous sword?" No one could tell what the "Fiery Serpent" was, but the dark red sword in Xu Xiaoshou's hand emitted an aura that was clearly on the same level as the one in Lu Ke's hand.

"Brother Xiaoshou..." Su Qianqian was stunned. Seeing Xu Xiaoshou pull out the famous sword, her first reaction wasn't surprise or joy. Instead, a deeply unsettling, nightmare-like image appeared in her mind: the masked man! "If it's truly a famous sword, Brother Xiaoshou, won't that guy target you too?"

"Indeed, it can only be in your hands," Lu Ke exclaimed with admiration, his gaze growing fervent. "Xu Xiaoshou, give me the famous sword, and I can guarantee that your whereabouts won't be leaked. The Red Guards will certainly not get any information about your location."

"That's it?" Xu Xiaoshou froze.

"That's not enough?" Lu Ke was also stunned. "Do you know that currently, the top target on the Red Guards' blacklist is no longer the Ghost Beasts, but you!" "Given these circumstances, do you realize how dangerous your situation is?"

"I know," Xu Xiaoshou spread his hands. "But so what?"

Lu Ke: "..." So what? He was momentarily choked by such arrogant words.

"Xu Xiaoshou... Pfft." Lu Ke couldn't help but scoff, his eyes filled with mockery. "You're too naive. A net has already been cast outside the White Cave; you can't escape, do you know that?"

"Is that so?" Xu Xiaoshou's gaze finally hardened. But then he thought of his "Disappearance Art." "Little one, you don't need to worry about my safety." "If your deal is merely this, then you'd better leave while I'm still in a good mood!" "Otherwise, you won't need to protect my life; I'll just ensure no one present gets a chance to leak any information, and then my whereabouts will naturally remain unknown."

As these words fell, everyone felt a chill in their hearts. Looking at Xu Xiaoshou's smiling face, somehow, an inexplicable pressure suddenly descended. Even the people from Ling Palace were momentarily silenced.

"Hahaha, you want to kill me?" Lu Ke burst out laughing. "That's a good idea, but you don't have the strength for it right now!"

"Perhaps," Xu Xiaoshou frowned. To be honest, he couldn't quite discern the boy's strength. Being the wielder of a famous sword was not something just anyone could achieve. For people like Su Qianqian, if they didn't have significant backing and their strength wasn't up to par, a famous sword simply couldn't be kept. The truth was harsh, but that was the reality. This Lu Ke not only wielded a famous sword but was also a Red Guard at such a young age.

"He has quite a background," Xu Xiaoshou mused inwardly, then waved his hand. "You can leave. If you want to leak my whereabouts, then do it. Anyway, since I, Xu Xiaoshou, dared to appear here, I'm not afraid of any of that." At this moment, nothing else mattered as much as the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone." Once he got the treasure, he would immediately disappear; no one could stop him.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ke immediately became somewhat uncertain and surprised. Inside the White Cave, were there still people unafraid of the Red Guards? And a young generation at that?

"You..." After a moment of hesitation, Lu Ke spoke again: "Give me the famous sword, and I'll give you the 'Dao Pattern Primordial Stone'!"

"Oh?" Xu Xiaoshou's eyes immediately lit up. "You have a 'Dao Pattern Primordial Stone'?"

"I don't," Lu Ke shook his head, pointing to the ground. "But it's here."

"Pfft!" Xu Xiaoshou burst out laughing. "You really are amusing, kid. I'm right here; do you think I don't know it's here?"

Lu Ke said, "I know you know, but... I'm here too!"

The people from Ling Palace were originally enjoying themselves, but suddenly their smiles froze. Mu Zixi stared blankly for a moment, then slowly said, "Xu Xiaoshou, I've finally met someone even more arrogant than you."

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the irrelevant information bar, clicked his tongue as if he had a toothache, and was about to speak.

"Summon!" Lu Ke slung his long sword behind his back, formed hand seals, and slammed his palms onto the ground. "Thump-thump." A dull thud, like a heartbeat, resonated twice from beneath the earth. The ground suddenly trembled. The next moment, it began to shake violently. "Crack, crack!" As cracking sounds echoed, a beam of light erupted from beneath Xu Xiaoshou's feet. Xu Xiaoshou quickly dodged.

"Heaven and Earth Anomaly?" He stared at everything in front of him with surprise and doubt. Lu Ke, could he really summon a Heaven and Earth Anomaly?

"All the supreme treasures in the White Cave are sealed by the Red Guards," Lu Ke explained, a hint of a smile suddenly entering his voice. "They don't take them simply because they don't need them. This is a trial ground, a trial ground; to put it plainly, these treasures are meant to reward those who dare to enter the White Cave and are capable of obtaining them." "But, if they are truly needed, a single seal is all it takes for the Red Guards to retrieve even treasures that haven't yet emerged from the earth and are still maturing!"

He withdrew his hand seal and looked up at the sky. The beam of light generated by the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone" from the Heaven and Earth Anomaly was no less impressive than when the famous sword "Fiery Serpent" had emerged. Moreover, as the power of heaven's punishment gradually descended, the rich Dao energy instantly diffused throughout the area.

"Hum!" A circle of Dao energy ripples spread out from the center of the beam. In an instant, it enveloped everyone present and continued to ripple outwards.

"This is..." Everyone was shocked. Because they could all perceive that with the ripples of this Dao energy, their cultivation realms seemed to be loosening. Bottlenecks that were usually difficult to break through showed subtle signs of cracking. And those spiritual techniques that had not yet been fully mastered were suddenly understood under the influence of this Dao energy fluctuation.

The most intense reactions came from the Spirit Refiners who were already at the peak of the Upper Spirit Realm. Tan Ji had been lying comfortably on the ground, but suddenly, like a fish that had been stabbed, he violently sprang up and sat bolt upright. "This!" He had already woken up. He refused to speak simply because he was too ashamed to face Xu Xiaoshou and the others from Ling Palace. But the appearance of the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone" made it impossible for him to pretend any longer. His cultivation, which he had desperately suppressed, now surged upwards like a lit rocket, unstoppable. "Suppress it!" Tan Ji roared inwardly, his face contorted in a grimace. He mobilized all his strength to fiercely press down on his restless Qi Sea. Grandmaster? If he had wanted to break through to that, Tan Ji could have done so long ago. But he had maintained his cultivation all this time for the sake of the "Eastern Sky Royal City." If his realm were to be inexplicably broken through now, wouldn't all his previous efforts be in vain? It wasn't just him. In that single moment of emergence, over a dozen people present nearly couldn't suppress their cultivation and were on the verge of breaking through. And there were plenty of those who couldn't suppress it at all!

"Buzz." Mu Zixi's twin ponytails flicked up, then drooped. Inexplicably, her cultivation directly broke through to the Upper Spirit Realm. She looked as if she had been hit on the head with a stick, taking a while to recover. "This..."

Xu Xiaoshou was also filled with disbelief. With just this ripple of Dao energy, he began to feel the threshold of the Upper Spirit Realm opening to him. But unlike others, his own door to the Upper Spirit Realm seemed much more formidable. Even with a tendency to open, without a significant push, this mere fluctuation... could only influence, not open! "But this is far too strong, isn't it?" Xu Xiaoshou was still extremely amazed. This was just a ripple from its initial emergence, yet it had such an impact. If he were to cultivate with it in hand... incredible! Absolutely incredible! Xu Xiaoshou grew excited. As expected, this "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone" truly lived up to its reputation as a supreme treasure that even King-level experts could use to comprehend the Heavenly Dao. It had such great utility right after emerging. If it were embedded in his Yuan Mansion, not only would the Yuan Mansion's space likely expand significantly, but his cultivation within it would also advance by leaps and bounds!

"How about it, consider it?" "You should know that as the 'Dao Pattern Primordial Stone's' fluctuations spread, this place will soon attract more people. By then..." Lu Ke's eyes were full of smiles, and he said no more. He naturally knew the power of the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone." He had originally brought the many black-robed figures here just to retrieve this item for his own cultivation. And, incidentally, to lure Xu Xiaoshou out using his name. But unexpectedly, what he sought was right before his eyes. Xu Xiaoshou was actually here! Therefore, compared to the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone," the famous sword was clearly more appealing to him. The trade was a natural outcome.

"Not good at all," Yu Zhiwen interjected indifferently from the side before Xu Xiaoshou could speak. "The Red Guards are responsible for exploring different dimensional spaces and incidentally sealing unstable or unhatched treasures. This is their duty." "But there's never been a rule stating that one can unseal them whenever they wish, especially not for supreme treasures that haven't emerged on their own!" She pointed at the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone" in the void, her tone slightly colder. "On this point, you have severely violated the regulations. Do you admit your guilt?"

"Who are you?" Lu Ke's pupils contracted.

"Who I am isn't important. What's important is that you shouldn't be trading with the treasures here," Yu Zhiwen said with a hint of anger in her voice. How important was the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone"? After arriving, she had already sensed that it was less than half a day away from reaching its peak maturation and emerging on its own. This was likely why Rao Yinyin had been waiting here. Yet Lu Ke had actually unsealed it for his own selfish gain. Had it been anything else, Yu Zhiwen might not have been so enraged. But to see such a supreme treasure, which could assist in the Heavenly Divination Art, being so wantonly wasted, she couldn't stand it.

"Seal!" With a wave of her hands, a curtain of Heavenly Divination light directly enveloped the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone" in the void. Before the full power of heaven's punishment had descended, she gathered the Dao韵 of heaven and earth and directly pressed it into the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone," hoping to help it mature to its peak. The treasure had already emerged. Sealing it back was possible, but not within Yu Zhiwen's current cultivation level. The only thing she could do was accelerate its Heavenly Divination nurturing process during this short period of the "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone's" emergence. Otherwise, while this "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone" could indeed emerge, it would undoubtedly be left with irreparable flaws.

"Heavenly Divination Art?" Lu Ke watched all this, disbelief in his eyes. "You, you're from the 'Dao Department'?"

Yu Zhiwen glared at him resentfully. This guy might not even realize how significant this short half-day's time was to the true "Dao Pattern Primordial Stone." But at this moment, she no longer had the spare energy to explain.

"The Dao Department... How could someone from the Main Hall of the Sacred Temple be here?" Lu Ke's heart fluttered slightly as he watched Yu Zhiwen remain silent. He suddenly remembered the Red Guard's previous message. Could it be that his venerable master had already arrived? His heart jolted with surprise, and for a moment, Lu Ke even considered turning around and leaving. But then he reconsidered. Even if his master had arrived, what he should be concerned about would only be the high-level battles in the White Cave. How could such minor skirmishes possibly attract attention? "Steady, steady," he told himself. Forcing down his impulse, Lu Ke raised his head and asked Xu Xiaoshou again, "So, what do you say? The famous sword for me, and the 'Dao Pattern Primordial Stone' for you?"

Xu Xiaoshou watched Yu Zhiwen's somewhat strained actions, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said, "Not good at all!" "So what if you unsealed it?" "Putting aside the fact that this item wasn't originally yours, merely the amount of effort my friend has put into it means this 'Dao Pattern Primordial Stone' is no longer something you can use for trade." "The famous sword goes without saying, and the Dao Pattern Primordial Stone is also not something you can lay your hands on!"

Lu Ke's brows furrowed. How could this Xu Xiaoshou be so stubborn and unyielding? "Give me the famous sword, and I'll not only give you the 'Dao Pattern Primordial Stone,' but I'll also ensure you get out of the White Cave without being caught by the Red Guards!" He took another step back.

"Oh?" Xu Xiaoshou glanced sideways. "Are you sure?"

"That's cert..." Before Lu Ke could finish, Yu Zhiwen met his gaze with a cold stare again: "Lu Ke... right? Don't forget, you're a Red Guard!" Although she was currently on Xu Xiaoshou's side, seeing such a rule-disregarding "rat" emerge from her own faction, she naturally couldn't tolerate it.

"I am a Red Guard, but only an intern Red Guard," Lu Ke shook his head. "My true ambition isn't with the Red Guards, so you don't need to try to pressure me with their rules. Compared to rules, a famous sword suits me better."

"But you are still a Red Guard!" Yu Zhiwen retorted angrily. "At least, for now, you're still wearing a Red Guard uniform."

"Heh." Lu Ke pointed to his black robe and said, "How do you know I'm wearing..." However, he didn't finish his sentence. In the void, the power of Heavenly Divination twisted, and the black robe shattered into pieces. As the wind blew, the slightly wrinkled red robe underneath unfurled and rustled. Everyone was stunned. A Red Guard! This was truly a Red Guard! Despite being so young, there was no denying that the boy was wearing the uniform that symbolized one of the continent's two most transcendent special organizations—the Red Guards!

"Lu Ke," Yu Zhiwen took a deep breath and said, "Until you take off this red robe, even if you haven't become an official member yet, you are still a Red Guard." "And Red Guards must abide by the rules." "Rules are rules; no one can break them." "This is not only your Red Guards' rule, but also the Sacred Temple's... rule!"