Chapter 606: False Xu Xiaoshou, Real Xu Xiaoshou

"Sovereign, shaking the Boundless Void?"

Zhao Xidong was so shocked his mouth hung open. It was as if he was witnessing the true possibility of an ant shaking a tree. This is a monster!

"A Sovereign can comprehend profound truths to ultimate perfection, but not after severing the Dao?" Zhao Xidong asked after calming himself down.

Xiao Qixiu nodded in response.

"Then why sever the Dao so quickly?" Zhao Xidong was utterly confused. "Wouldn't it be the most perfect outcome to sever the Dao only after fully comprehending profound truths in the Sovereign Realm?"

He suddenly trailed off. Oh, right! If it were that simple, why would Boss Xiao emphasize that there's only one place in the world cultivating such talents?

"The Spirit Division, then..." Zhao Xidong muttered distractedly.

Xiao Qixiu, knowing the young man had finally understood a bit, smiled and said, "Profound truths are not that easy to master. The Dao you comprehend in the Sovereign Realm becomes the cornerstone for your continued advancement. Indeed, the more perfect this cornerstone, the more infinite possibilities your future holds, allowing you to quickly break through Severing the Dao, enter the Boundless Void, and become a Demigod. However, conversely, the more perfect the cornerstone, the more unbreakable it becomes. Comprehension is something everyone can attempt; it's merely a matter of whether they're willing to invest the time. Yet, too many people attempt to reach that perfect realm, but ultimately fail to grasp the profound truths. Instead, because their comprehension goes too deep, exceeding the limits of their talent, they eventually cannot sever their Dao foundation. In such a case, you will be forever stuck in the Sovereign Realm and never achieve Severing the Dao."

So that's how it is! Zhao Xidong finally understood what the true Sovereign Dao Realm and Severing the Dao entailed. He used to have a vague concept of it, but this explanation truly clarified everything for him.

"Then..." Hesitantly, Zhao Xidong finally turned his head to look at the Dean. Years ago, when he was still an inner disciple, the Dean was already a Sovereign. Years later, even after graduating and venturing out, then returning, the Dean remained a Sovereign. However, the Sovereign of that time and the Sovereign of today were completely different! Every time they met after a long absence, Zhao Xidong would sense a significant improvement in the Dean's power, but he always thought it was an illusion. After all, they were both Sovereigns.

"It's no illusion." Xiao Qixiu chuckled, articulating Zhao Xidong's unspoken thoughts: "Your Dean Ye is indeed walking the path of profound truths... With spatial attributes, you could say his future difficulty in severing the Dao will only be greater than Yu Lingdi's! Much, much greater!"

Zhao Xidong gasped, finally understanding why Gou Wuyue had previously extended an olive branch to the Dean. But similarly, Zhao Xidong now admired Ye Xiaotian even more for having the confidence to refuse on the spot. Risking the inability to sever his Dao foundation, and flatly refusing the help of the Holy Divine Temple... Truly worthy of the Dean!

"Are profound truths really that difficult?" Zhao Xidong asked again after a long moment of contemplation.

"Very difficult."

"How difficult?"

"Look." Xiao Qixiu pointed at the pouring rain and said, "In the entire Spirit Division of the Holy Divine Temple, only one person has comprehended profound truths. How difficult do you think it is?"

"Uh..." Zhao Xidong was choked. Even an organization as vast as the Holy Divine Temple couldn't mass-produce them, and there was only one...

"Then, in this world, does that mean no one else can comprehend profound truths apart from the Holy Divine Temple?" Zhao Xidong asked, astonished.

"No!" Ye Xiaotian suddenly interjected from the side. Qiao Qianzhi and Xiao Qixiu also chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Zhao Xidong looked at the three inexplicable individuals, feeling perplexed.

"Clang." Xiao Qixiu drew his sword. "What is this?"

"Your lifeblood?" Zhao Xidong hesitated, then replied.

"Thump!"

"Ow, what the heck!"

"It's a sword!" Xiao Qixiu snapped.

"Oh, right, a sword. What about it?" Zhao Xidong covered his head, tears streaming from the pain.

Xiao Qixiu took a deep breath and said gravely: "Ancient sword arts, also known as the most difficult Great Dao to master in the world, encompass everything: nine major sword techniques, eighteen schools, three thousand sword paths... and so on. Some even call it 'the most difficult in the world, without peer!'"

"And then?" Zhao Xidong's eyes widened.

"But in this current age, there is still one person who has comprehended the 'Profound Truths of the Sword Dao!'"

"Who?"

"You know him." Xiao Qixiu chuckled, not replying directly.

I know him... Zhao Xidong frowned, his mind a jumble of thoughts, unable to recall anyone. Suddenly, a legendary figure flashed in his mind — someone he had never met, yet who had been depicted by various rumors as mysterious and substantial. He exclaimed: "The—"

"They're here!" Ye Xiaotian suddenly spoke, interrupting their conversation.

Above the Nine Heavens, the black hole expanded and tore further apart, finally collapsing completely. With a thunderous crash, countless tumultuous and immense destructive forces raged out from it.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Gray-black currents surged like a mountain flood bursting through a dam or a tsunami breaking through a dike. Everyone present could barely imagine what had happened inside the White Cave to cause such a spectacular sight.

But now, with the White-Clothed's prior preparation, the gray-black currents pouring out from the White Cave world were, upon appearing, entirely absorbed by one of the white-robed figures who held a spiritual gourd.

"Whoosh..."

The energy bursting from the black hole was swallowed without a single trace left. Zhao Xidong's throat went dry as he watched: "Did the White Cave explode? Such terrifying energy... Who caused this?"

"Not necessarily an explosion." Qiao Qianzhi interjected from the side: "If it had exploded, I estimate even the spiritual array here wouldn't be able to withstand it. The worst possibility, but also the best possibility... is that there are still Red-Clothed inside, or Yu Lingdi's protective power, which protected the White Cave world from fully exploding, minimizing the losses to a certain extent—at least by half! As for who caused it..."

Qiao Qianzhi suddenly felt a chill down his spine. A grinning figure suddenly appeared in his mind, and crucially, this figure had a human face! 'No, no, that's impossible. He's merely at the Innate Realm...' Qiao Qianzhi mused to himself, shivering. Ye Xiaotian, standing in front, suddenly shivered as well. Even Xiao Qixiu's mouth twitched slightly. Zhao Xidong watched, stunned. An image also appeared in his mind, but he immediately dismissed it.

"By the way, that guy Xu Xiaoshou should have come out a long time ago. Is he imprisoned there now too?" He mused, his gaze involuntarily darting towards the space Ye Xiaotian had not yet secured.

"Ye Xiaotian, we should go." Xiao Qixiu, observing the commotion in this area, couldn't help but advise: "If we wait any longer, I estimate it will be difficult for us to escape once the Saint Servant emerge."

"No." Ye Xiaotian slowly shook his head: "Even if one person is missing, as long as he is a disciple of the Tiansang Spirit Palace, I have the responsibility and duty to bring him home." After a pause, he added: "Moreover, there's more than just one missing."

"Perhaps they're dead." Xiao Qixiu said expressionlessly.

"You jinx!" Qiao Qianzhi immediately turned and cursed: "That kid is blessed with great fortune and a long life; I've watched him grow up. How could he die so easily?"

Zhao Xidong was utterly confused and was about to ask something. Above the Nine Heavens, a streak of mixed color suddenly appeared in the darkness. Everyone immediately looked over, alert.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Several figures descended from the sky, all ragged and like refugees, their bodies and faces stained with blood, without a single untouched spot.

"Senior Wuyue." As soon as these individuals landed, they bowed to Gou Wuyue. The vigilant White-Clothed surrounding them finally relaxed. 'Thank goodness, they're our people...' Gou Wuyue's gaze swept over each newcomer. He still remembered the last image from the intelligence report: there were still over a dozen Red-Clothed. But at this moment, only six had truly made it out. Heavy casualties!

Looking at one figure who appeared to have been disemboweled, Gou Wuyue finally recognized a few familiar traces on his mangled face.

"Shou... Ye?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes! I've disgraced Senior Wuyue." Shouye's posture stiffened, his expression extremely grim. Until the very end, he still couldn't swallow that wave of energy on his own. Just a tiny leak caused the already dilapidated White Cave world to become turbulent. Under a chain reaction, even with Lan Ling controlling the array on the Sword Grassland, it couldn't withstand it. The White Cave truly exploded! However, it only exploded less than halfway. The rain from the sky then repaired most of the space, preserving a seed of a dimensional space. Once time repairs it, the White Cave might have a chance to rise again. Thus, one of the Seven Forbidden Lands, the Hell Sea of Embers, should not disappear, then transfer and regenerate. —A blessing in disguise!

"You did well." Gou Wuyue smiled faintly, patted Shouye's shoulder, then looked at the others. "All of you, go rest. I'll handle the rest."

"Buzz—" The famous sword trembled. That warm voice, seemingly capable of soothing hearts, instantly brought tears to Baldy Xin's eyes.

"Yes!" The few Red-Clothed shouted in unison and vanished.

"Shouye." Gou Wuyue called out to Shouye one last time.

"What are Senior Wuyue's orders?" Shouye was actually quite excited. Seeing Gou Wuyue again, it was as if he recalled those days of campaigning everywhere. Among this current group of White-Clothed brethren, although few familiar faces remained, the long-lost fervor of cornering Saint Servants was a completely different feeling from battling ghosts. If possible, how he wished he could stay and fight alongside Senior Wuyue!

Gou Wuyue reached out and placed a hand on Shouye's shoulder. Only then did the bloody wound on the latter's stomach begin to heal faster. After the other party had barely recovered some of his vitality, Gou Wuyue said, "I already know everything that happened in the White Cave."

"The rain?" Shouye asked. He only realized at the very end that the rain was unusual.

"Yes, Yu Lingdi's ability." Gou Wuyue glanced at the void black hole, clearly not wanting to dwell on the matter, and went straight to the point: "That Wen Ming, do you know who he is?"

"Wen Ming?" Shouye paused, startled. He hadn't expected Senior Wuyue's first question to be about this. But recalling the situation in the White Cave, and knowing that Senior Wuyue was already aware, then... Wen Ming, Xu Xiaoshou, ice sculpture, Lu Ke, famous sword, master and disciple... Shouye immediately understood.

He said somewhat dejectedly, "Wen Ming is Xu Xiaoshou, who is also the disciple of the Saint Servant's second-in-command. Of course, this conclusion is still open for debate, but it's probably close to the truth... I realized it too late." Shouye changed his tone, a hint of self-reproach in his voice: "If I had noticed this kid's uniqueness earlier and forcefully brought him back to the Red-Clothed, perhaps Xiao Ke wouldn't have..."

"That's not what I'm asking." Gou Wuyue shook his head: "Lu Ke's fate was his own choice. Since I dared to place him in the Red-Clothed team, I was prepared for him to die at any moment. How can one truly grow without experiencing life and death? What I want to ask is..." Gou Wuyue pondered for a moment: "Who exactly is Wen Ming, the person you refer to as Xu Xiaoshou?"

For a moment, Shouye was stumped by the phrasing of the question, unsure how to respond. Gou Wuyue, however, began counting on his fingers.

"Grandmaster physique, giant transformation, Grandmaster sword intent, famous sword, possesses four swords, Ember Radiance power, Three-Day Frost Calamity... But from what I saw, his cultivation isn't high?"

Shouye froze for a moment. It was only when Xu Xiaoshou's abilities were truly enumerated that he fully realized what Senior Wuyue was trying to ask. Swallowing hard, Shouye replied, "Yes, at most, he's at the Innate Realm."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!"

"Truly?"

"Without a doubt!" Shouye had realized the gravity of the situation. Xu Xiaoshou had caught Senior Wuyue's attention! His demeanor was solemn, and his tone was extremely earnest: "What you've seen isn't even everything. From my interactions, he not only possesses all the abilities you mentioned but is also a spiritual array master, an alchemist... a bomb... an al... well... how should I put it..."

"Hmm?" Gou Wuyue tilted his head, his face full of inquiry.

"An alchemist! His skill levels are very high, and he's always full of surprises!" Shouye wiped his brow, stating earnestly: "Such a person is definitely a talent!"

Gou Wuyue silently lowered his head. After a long period of contemplation, he looked up and smiled: "But he has joined the Saint Servant."

"Boom!" Above the Nine Heavens, the black hole exploded again, as if something else was about to burst forth. Shouye's mind also buzzed with a shock. He instinctively wanted to say, 'Impossible.' But Senior Wuyue wasn't the type of person to joke around...

"Impossible!" Shouye still blurted out that sentence. Then, regardless of Senior Wuyue's expression, he eagerly continued speaking, cutting him off: "Xu Xiaoshou might be a bit timid, a bit cowardly, but such a person is naturally proud and would never choose to be subservient to anyone, absolutely not! Oh, right, I forgot to tell you..." Shouye abruptly closed his eyes, then snapped them open. "Xu Xiaoshou's greatest ability isn't his powerful skills, but his knack for spouting nonsense. That guy... I don't know what images Yu Lingdi transmitted to you, but the more sincere and earnest he appears, the lower his credibility! If ten sentences have nine and a half truths, that's good enough. The remaining half a sentence, it's best not to listen." Shouye rattled off words like a machine gun.

"..." Gou Wuyue was momentarily stunned.

"Senior." Shouye clenched his fists. "Xu Xiaoshou is not a Saint Servant!"

"Are you saying this because you intend to train him as your successor?" Gou Wuyue's lips curved into a smile, and he raised an eyebrow.

Shouye panicked and quickly said: "Perhaps there's an element of that, but it's certainly not the whole truth. You know me, I wouldn't let such thoughts cloud my judgment..."

"Then what is it?" Gou Wuyue retorted. This was his former subordinate; he knew Shouye's temperament best. And firsthand information, coming from his closest confidant, would be the most accurate.

Shouye pondered for a moment and said, "His current demeanor, apart from his mouth and his bizarre spiritual skills, his ambition and arrogance are almost identical to mine when I first joined the White-Clothed! Without a doubt!"

The scene fell silent for a moment. Gou Wuyue unconsciously chuckled.

"I understand. You may go. Be ready to be called upon at any time."

"Yes..." Shouye subconsciously responded, then suddenly realized the meaning of 'ready to be called upon at any time.'

"Yes!" He replied with a firm shout, turned, and disappeared.

"Rumble—" The void exploded once more with a loud bang. Half of the drizzling rain was drawn into the black hole, while the other half fell to the earth.

"Hehe." From within the black hole, a low chuckle suddenly emerged, then transformed into a clear, bell-like laughter.

"Hehehe, so many people, big brother. I'm so scared."