Chapter 551: Ghost Beast Possession, Take Down

"Protected, Passive Point, 1."

"My goodness!"

Xu Xiaoshou experienced the feeling of being protected for the first time. He was indeed quite afraid that the fierce demonic energy from the cursed sword would explode, exposing his true form and transforming him into a "Rampaging Giant." However, Mu Zixi, with just her pair of strange "Eyes of Gods and Demons," withstood it all.

"Can you hold it?" Lowering his body, Xu Xiaoshou patted his junior sister's shoulder.

"I don't feel anything." Mu Zixi turned her head, demonic energy swirling in her right eye. The fierce demonic energy rampaging around them was directly absorbed as it approached her. Not only was the girl unaffected, but she even let out an uncontrollable burp.

"Hiccup!"

"Uh..." Mu Zixi's face flushed, and she quickly turned back, staring straight ahead.

"Eyes of Gods and Demons...?" Xu Xiaoshou was astounded. The power of these unique eyes astonished him every time he saw them. They could even withstand the power of "The Four Swords," absorbing it completely without any outward reaction. Didn't this mean that in terms of power level, Mu Zixi's "Eyes of Gods and Demons" were in no way inferior to "The Four Swords"? Moreover, this was only half of their power. At least, since first seeing these "Eyes of Gods and Demons," Xu Xiaoshou had never seen Mu Zixi use the other half – the power of the "Divine Eyes."

"Okay, stay like this. Once this wave is over, it should be fine." Xu Xiaoshou hid behind her, his "Perception" scanning the surroundings. Most of the people who were also lying low in the Sword-Leaving Grassland, waiting for an opportunity, had already been cleared out by this first wave of fierce demonic energy from "The Four Swords." Those who couldn't withstand the demonic energy almost all had bloodshot eyes and lost control of their spiritual energy on the spot. However, before those who had succumbed to madness could wreak havoc, the sword energy hidden within the demonic energy cut these defenseless individuals into pieces.

The methods were extremely cruel. The scene was incredibly bloody. Xu Xiaoshou knew that this was perhaps the price of covetousness. "Some things are not for everyone to touch..."

Aside from those who died in the explosion of fierce demonic energy, a small number of remaining individuals were extremely well-prepared. They either possessed spiritual artifacts capable of absorbing demonic energy, or spiritual techniques and elixirs for resisting it. Without exception, all of them, like He Yuxing, who had stood firm against the sword, survived the demonic energy's eruption.

"The sifting is done; the main show is about to begin." Xu Xiaoshou kept pulling his junior sister back. He was very cunning. Even if he still had some preparations, he wouldn't want to stick his neck out at this moment and directly seize "The Four Swords." After all, only a fool would do such a thing.

"Xu Xiao... Master!" Only then did Mu Zixi feel the force behind her; she lowered her head and realized she was unknowingly suspended in the air, retreating rapidly. Puzzled, she turned back: "'The Four Swords' have already appeared, when are we going to charge?"

"Charge?" Xu Xiaoshou froze for a moment, then, utterly enraged, he tapped the girl on the head, "Charge what? Charge if you want to die! Don't you see so many people staring?"

"But... didn't they say 'the early bird catches the worm, the late one suffers the loss'?" Mu Zixi clutched her aching head, absorbing demonic energy as she spoke: "Besides, if we don't act now, when the Red Coat takes the sword, what will you use to snatch it? Your face?"

"Shut up." Xu Xiaoshou covered the girl's mouth. Had she been muddle-headed by the demonic energy? Still trying to snatch it? "Let's save our lives first before talking about this!"

"Ohm—" The sound of a sword humming echoed in the void. After "The Four Swords" finished unleashing its first wave of demonic energy, seemingly having run its course, the entire sword soared upwards, circled a few times in mid-air, then shot off in a certain direction.

"Xu Xiaoshou!" Mu Zixi grew anxious.

"Tap!" Xu Xiaoshou gave her a head flick, "I told you, call me Master!"

"Oh, oh."

"Cursed, Passive Point, 1."

"Someone will be in a hurry; we won't be for now." Xu Xiaoshou dragged his junior sister and vanished into a pit where the ground had been ripped open by sword energy. With another wave of his hand, he buried them both alive.

Mu Zixi: "..."

"Cursed, Passive Point, 1."

"Charge!" His "Perception" detected that, as expected, someone couldn't hold back and soared directly into the air. In an instant, over a dozen figures swept through the air, aiming to intercept "The Four Swords" as it attempted to escape.

Where the Red Coats were gathered.

"Sister Lan Ling." Lu Ke stared intently at "The Four Swords" as it flew away, about to disappear from sight, and couldn't help but call out.

"Wait." With a casual press of her hand, Lan Ling deflated the boy's surging power.

"Sister Zhiwen!" Lu Ke grew anxious and turned his head to look at Yu Zhiwen. Yu Zhiwen glanced at him lightly, then silently turned away, sighing inwardly. If it were Xu Xiaoshou, he probably wouldn't ask like this...

"Red Coat Senior, treasures in White Cave belong to those who are destined for them. Although 'The Four Swords' is a supreme treasure, anyone with the ability can claim it in White Cave. Am I correct?" A voice, sounding from an unknown direction, as if wanting to add fuel to the fire, directly questioned the Red Coat team.

Lu Ke sneered and was about to speak. Lan Ling quickly covered his mouth, then stepped forward and soared into the air. "That's right."

"As long as one entered the White Cave through legitimate means, anyone is qualified to claim 'The Four Swords'."

"And if anyone gains the recognition of 'The Four Swords,' the Red Coats can even escort them out of the White Cave, ensuring their safe passage and preventing any mishaps." As soon as this statement fell, those lurking in the Sword-Leaving Grassland could no longer hold back. There was no reply, but suddenly, another dozen or so figures shot out.

"These idiots..." Xu Xiaoshou watched with a headache. Those who could enter White Cave shouldn't be so simple-minded. But firstly, these people didn't know the real inside story; secondly, the temptation of "The Four Swords" was immense; and thirdly, there was the Red Coats' promise. It could be said that Lan Ling's promise directly drew out most of the remaining people in the area.

"Xu... Master?" Mu Zixi turned her head in the darkness, having also heard Lan Ling's words.

"Use your brain." Xu Xiaoshou pressed her head back down.

"I know." Mu Zixi rolled her eyes impatiently. She had only said it casually just now, not expecting Xu Xiaoshou to take it seriously. Did he really think she was a fool? "I just wanted to ask, when can we make our move?" She forced her head back, staring at the half-obscured old face in front of her.

"Wait."

"Until when?"

"Until..." Xu Xiaoshou's "Perception" scanned the people still lurking, then he was silent for a moment, slowly shaking his head. "I'm not very clear either."

Mu Zixi: "..."

"Cursed, Passive Point, 1."

"Thump thump." The straw hat on his head suddenly twitched twice. Xu Xiaoshou keenly noticed the anomaly.

"What are you doing?"

"..." No reply.

"Speak up, don't be a mute!" Xu Xiaoshou growled.

"I, I feel very strange..." Xu Xiaoji weakly spoke. The straw hat was its true form. It had transformed into this at Xu Xiaoshou's request. According to the agreement between them, no matter what happened, Xu Xiaoji was not to make a sound or leave Xu Xiaoshou's head. But now, Xu Xiaoshou had actively questioned it. Answering just a little bit shouldn't kill anyone... right?

"How strange?" Xu Xiaoshou asked, grasping the straw hat. He wasn't as domineering as it thought.

"I don't know either, I just feel strange... my body." Xu Xiaoji replied.

"'The Four Swords' are related to you?"

"Not clear..."

"Don't say 'not clear.' You just need to answer 'yes'."

"Yes..." Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the information panel; no movement.

"Say 'no'."

"N-no?"

"Deceived, Passive Point, 1."

As expected... Xu Xiaoshou's mind settled. Xu Xiaoji must be connected to "The Four Swords"; this had transformed from a strong probability to a definitive conclusion. And this was precisely why Xu Xiaoshou dared to come to the Sword-Leaving Grassland to contend for "The Four Swords," even after losing the Blackfall Sword Sheath. If there was any stronger bargaining chip present than the "Sacrificial Engraved Tablet" or the "Blackfall Sword Sheath"...

"Xu Xiaoji." Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath and asked the question hidden deepest in his heart: "Are you the sword spirit of 'The Four Swords'?"

"Huh?" Mu Zixi, to his side, immediately widened her eyes. She stared incredulously at the straw hat on Xu Xiaoshou's head. This timid fellow was the sword spirit of the mighty and awe-inspiring "Four Swords"...?

"Uh... I'm not sure." Xu Xiaoji hesitated for a moment before replying. To be honest, it was also doubting itself at this moment. But if it was the sword spirit of "The Four Swords," why didn't it know itself?

"What did I say? Don't answer my questions ambiguously. Just 'yes' or 'no' is enough," Xu Xiaoshou said.

"Uh, yes."

"Deceived, Passive Point, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou's heart skipped a beat at the sight. Not? Xu Xiaoji isn't the sword spirit? Impossible... A slight panic flickered in his heart. He remembered inferring Xu Xiaoji's identity using the information panel when they were at the City Lord's Mansion gates. At that time, the answer showed that this guy was neither a ghost beast nor a human. And what else could it be, intertwined and connected to "The Four Swords," if not a sword spirit?

"I'll rephrase the question..." Xu Xiaoshou's "Perception" watched "The Four Swords" still rapidly escaping under the pursuit of numerous figures, and he vaguely felt that the temperament of the two was poles apart. "Were you born from within 'The Four Swords'?"

Xu Xiaoji paused upon hearing this. Just as it was about to say something, it recalled Xu Xiaoshou's previous words and quickly replied: "Yes!" The information panel remained motionless.

Xu Xiaoshou let out a deep breath. Not a sword spirit, but born from within "The Four Swords"? Is this... another consciousness? He couldn't help but frown. This small shift was a bit beyond his initial expectations. But it was still acceptable. If Xu Xiaoji was indeed born from "The Four Swords," then everything made sense.

After losing the Eighth Sword Immortal, "The Four Swords" was left alone to suppress the "Ashen Hell Sea." But how could the power of the "Ashen Hell Sea" be suppressed year after year by "The Four Swords" without anyone controlling it? Thus, due to certain reasons, the original sword spirit of "The Four Swords" either perished or fell into slumber. In short, after decades of mutual restraint, Xu Xiaoji appeared!

Then, according to Xu Xiaoji's words at that time, this fellow had traversed two spaces unknown even to itself, arriving at the Holy Divine Continent. The first space should be the internal space of "The Four Swords." The second, the White Cave. And the City Lord's Mansion, which Xu Xiaoji itself couldn't understand why it went to, was simply because the "Tian Shu Astrolabe," stolen and taken to the City Lord's Mansion, relying on the close bond formed from years of contact with "The Four Swords," was vaguely summoning Xu Xiaoji, needing it to rescue itself.

"This should be it, unless other important factors appear..." Xu Xiaoshou clenched his fists. All of this was largely consistent with his own conjectures. Therefore, after this incident, he could basically be certain that his mind was still quite sharp. In short, intelligent!

Thus... Xu Xiaoshou again looked at the commotion outside. According to his intuition, he just needed to wait. When "The Four Swords" couldn't break free from the Red Coats' encirclement and needed assistance, it would definitely seek help on its own. Perhaps the man beside Lan Xinzi, or Yu Zhiwen... But with Xu Xiaoji, who was like a second sword spirit, right here, was it necessary for "The Four Swords" to go to such lengths to seek help from others? Xu Xiaoshou released his clenched fists with a smile. Everything was under control!

"Charge!"

"'The Four Swords' are mine, all of you get lost!"

"Get out of my way!!!" In the void, a group of people jostling for advantage were still far outpaced by "The Four Swords," and instead, they started fighting among themselves in mid-air prematurely. And were there really only one group of people lurking in the Sword-Leaving Grassland?

—Ambush from all sides!

When "The Four Swords" rushed to a certain spot, the people originally hidden there could no longer resist the temptation and flew straight up. In an instant, several figures shot up, intending to capture "The Four Swords" as it approached them head-on.

Just then, a figure materialized out of thin air, appearing directly on the body of "The Four Swords," and struck downward with its palm.

"Thud!" With a soft sound, the high-speed, black, ominous sword, which seemed capable of piercing space, completely lost all momentum under this palm strike, stopping rigidly. At this, the air seemed to thicken slightly.

"Apologies, but this sword is mine." The newly appeared man whispered. Yet, his voice traveled directly across more than half of the Sword-Leaving Grassland, reaching everyone's ears. The wielder of "The Four Swords" has appeared?

Xu Xiaoshou, hidden in the shadows, immediately extended his "Perception." This person was extremely unfamiliar. He had an utterly plain, square-shaped face, completely unremarkable. Yet Xu Xiaoshou felt as if he had seen this person before. Not the face, but the aura!

"Ghost Beast host!" His pupils suddenly contracted. He remembered seeing several men with peculiar auras when the teleportation array in the Eight Palaces opened. And he had encountered one previously. That person had already been subdued and captured by the Night Watch, undoubtedly a ghost beast host. And this person, who had a similar aura, though his face was different, as the Night Watch would say... "A stench is a stench; no matter how you change your face, the smell remains the same."

In mid-air, the figures still in pursuit all came to a halt. Just a few breaths later, exclamations rang out.

"Sovereign?"

"Stowaway?"

From a distant place, Xin Tiaoran flew down next to Lan Ling and whispered something. "The first big fish has been caught."

Lan Ling immediately chuckled softly and soared upwards. With a flick of her finger, the "Thirty-Six Heavens Sealing Array," which seemed to have been torn apart by "The Four Swords," instantly shimmered with light.

The next second.