Chapter 613: Face 2

“A sword seal?”

Xu Xiaoshou was baffled. What was that? But no one explained it to him.

“No, no, no.” The masked man just kept shaking his head, lightly raising two fingers and tracing them through the air.

Where his sword finger passed, the space fractured.

“Is this what you call a sword seal?” he countered.

“This is merely sword energy,” Gou Wuyue said in a low voice.

“Then what about this?”

The masked man reached behind him and pulled out a gigantic, snow-white sword, then slashed it through the air. This time, the sword energy tore through space, instantly separating the two sides as if cleaving the area into two realms.

Xu Xiaoshou, watching from behind, gritted his teeth. That was Tombstone City Snow, Su Qianqian's sword. How could that guy have the audacity to pull that out? Oh, he's the Eighth Sword Immortal, Ba Zun'an. No wonder…

Gou Wuyue’s eyes narrowed, and he spoke again, “This isn’t your sword either.”

“Then where’s my sword?”

The masked man spread his hands, tossing Tombstone City Snow back into his spatial ring. Xu Xiaoshou, listening from behind, subconsciously started to hand over the You Si Sword in his hand, but then suddenly realized white sword energy had burst open within him.

He was pinned down by the sword energy!

“Damn you, Ba Zun'an, just you wait. When I get stronger, whether it’s Tombstone City Snow or you yourself, I’ll take you all down,” Xu Xiaoshou muttered inwardly.

The masked man, having done all this in secret, showed no change in expression. He stared at Gou Wuyue and said, “My sword is in your hand. Do you dare to bring it over and let me try it?”

*Hum—*

The Nu Lan hummed faintly, seemingly stirred.

Gou Wuyue tightened his grip on the sword in his hand and said coldly, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Are you walking a different path?”

“A path?”

The masked man chuckled softly, “I am indeed walking a different path.” As he spoke, he waved his hand. “Let’s go.”

With that, he resumed his steps, treating Gou Wuyue as if he were air, turning his back on him.

“Stop!” Gou Wuyue roared.

But the masked man was unmoved. Seeing this, Cen Qiaofu and the Storyteller followed him again. Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare to be careless. He quickly wedged himself between the three, letting these three powerful figures escort him forward.

“Is it really okay?” He quietly used his "Perception" to probe behind them, but Gou Wuyue's feet seemed truly stuck. He could only watch the masked man leave, unable to take a single step.

“Big Brother certainly has a lot of clout!” The Storyteller chuckled and stepped forward, about to put a hand on the masked man's shoulder, but the latter quickened his pace, and the Storyteller grasped at air. He grumbled, “Stinky Big Brother…”

“Open!”

Cen Qiaofu led the way. His Immortal-Breaking Axe slashed forward, and the Heaven-Covering Barrier was instantly cleaved open, creating a hole.

All the white-robed figures who had flashed to the rear became anxious. Everyone knew that in this situation, if the four Holy Slaves truly escaped, the consequences would be unbearable. But it was fine as long as the person in front didn't reveal his identity. Once he did…

Ba Zun'an! The Eighth Sword Immortal! Who would be reckless enough to step forward and stop him?

“Senior Wuyue…” Not only were the present Holy Divine Guards muttering silently, even the operators of the "Heaven-Covering Barrier," hidden in distant blind spots within the Eight Palaces, stared blankly at the images transmitted through the void.

Just like that, they're let go?

*Thump, thump, thump.* The rain poured relentlessly. The scene was eerily silent.

In a situation where no one dared to make a move, the masked man, step by step, steadily widened the distance between himself and Gou Wuyue behind him. The barrier light of the Heaven-Covering Barrier rapidly repaired itself under the distant operators' power. But Cen Qiaofu created a new hole with each swing of his axe. The attack power, imbued with Void Power, was truly formidable.

Without human interference, the Holy Slaves strode boldly out of the area, while others could only watch, wide-eyed.

“Whoa.” Even as he passed through the light barrier of the Heaven-Covering Barrier, Xu Xiaoshou still found it somewhat hard to believe. They just walked out like that? So easily? The desperate, fierce battle he had anticipated in the White Cave never happened. The masked man simply revealed his identity as Ba Zun'an, and everything was resolved?

Xu Xiaoshou slowly turned his head, not daring to look at anyone else. After a moment's thought, he signaled a question to Cen Qiaofu, who seemed more approachable. Cen Qiaofu chuckled softly. He understood what the young man meant.

Just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly turned solemn. “Look out!”

At the same time, the Storyteller flashed, positioning himself in front of his big brother, as if blocking some formidable enemy. Xu Xiaoshou’s pupils constricted. He was the slowest to react, but his “Perception” also saw everything most clearly.

Unbeknownst to them, beneath the torrential rain, two figures, one tall and one short, had already appeared on the path ahead. The tall one was taller than anyone Xu Xiaoshou had ever seen. If not for the fact that this guy had human skin, Xu Xiaoshou would have thought it was a White Skeleton from the White Cave coming outside.

And the short one on the side…

“Who’s that?” Xu Xiaoshou was utterly astonished. His past combat experience with various powerful figures told him that, judging solely by the aura around this person, the newcomer possessed only King Realm cultivation. But how could a mere King Realm expert dare to lead one other person and block the path of the four Holy Slaves, whom even Gou Wuyue dared not obstruct?

*Pound, pound, pound!* Large raindrops pounded onto the ground, one by one. At this moment, everyone felt that something was wrong. Ever since the short King Realm expert, who resembled a young boy, appeared, the rain in the area seemed to undergo a qualitative change. Even Xu Xiaoshou’s Grandmaster body had begun to feel pain.

“Attacked, Passive Points, 211.”“Attacked, Passive Points, 165.”“Attacked, Passive Points, 198.”

“Reverberation” no longer seemed to possess perfect damage mitigation, and even the effect of “Tenacity” became negligible. Under the impact of hundreds of blows per second on average, Xu Xiaoshou felt his footing falter. He had no choice but to activate his spiritual energy shield. But the shield couldn't withstand the pounding rain and was shattered by the raindrops in mere moments.

“Feiruo Heavy Water!” The Storyteller encountered the same situation on his side. What was better for him than Xu Xiaoshou was that the space around him was multi-folded. No matter how strong the raindrops were, upon proximity, they were instantly bounced away by spatial energy.

“What is Feiruo Heavy Water?” Not only did Xu Xiaoshou have this question, but Cen Qiaofu also blocked the rain's attack and asked aloud.

“Spirit Division, Water Element Master of Mysteries, Yu Lingdi!” The Storyteller enunciated each word, revealing the newcomer's name. He then turned his gaze to the tall man beside him. “In that case, this must be… the Heavenly Secret Puppet?”

Cen Qiaofu’s pupils suddenly constricted. He hadn't expected two such figures to emerge at the last moment. “You're the one who caused the rain in the White Cave?” Cen Qiaofu took a step forward, blocking the three Holy Slaves behind him.

“Be careful.” At this moment, the Storyteller no longer dared to joke. He whispered a reminder, “That Heavenly Secret Puppet likely possesses Void Realm power, and Yu Lingdi… he has slain a Void Realm expert!”

“Huh?” Upon hearing this, Xu Xiaoshou's eyes immediately bulged. “Slain one?” He repeated the key word in disbelief, truly hoping the Storyteller would say, “Sorry, a slip of the tongue.” But he didn't. The Storyteller only nodded gravely: “Although that Void Realm expert was slain with the help of others, this guy has indeed truly ended a Void Realm expert's life.”

“Even if he can't take one down by himself, it’s an undeniable fact that with his King Realm cultivation, he can cause a Dao Severer to fall, or even capture one. And his legends extend far beyond this. Perhaps my information is limited, but this guy might have long possessed the ability to slay a Void Realm expert on his own!”

The Storyteller was primarily responsible for the Central Region, so he naturally knew more about its intelligence. And the more he knew, the more solemn his expression became. Cen Qiaofu was also startled by his introduction. He had heard the Chief talk about this guy in the White Cave, but he never imagined a mere King Realm expert could possess such power. This was simply terrifying!

Xu Xiaoshou felt his throat go dry. “When you say he can slay a Void Realm expert, do you mean an ordinary Void Realm expert, or...?”

“Is there such a thing as an ordinary Void Realm expert?” The Storyteller's rhetorical question nearly made Xu Xiaoshou choke on his words.

“What the hell is this guy?!” Xu Xiaoshou, with his Innate cultivation and the power of Ah-Jie, could barely slay a King Realm expert, which was already quite impressive. Your King Realm expert can slay a Void Realm expert? He secretly glanced at the masked man in front of him. Xu Xiaoshou finally understood why there were beings in this world capable of crippling even the Eighth Sword Immortal. So, geniuses come in clusters; it’s not just him alone. He’s the only one who feels like a clown!

*Boom, boom, boom…* Large craters erupted on the ground, as if struck by huge hailstones. But this wasn't hail; it was rain! The rain fell ferociously.

Yu Lingdi reached out, touching the torrential rain. The raindrops passed through his body, and with every drop that traversed his form, his aura grew stronger.

“Senior Wuyue, this isn’t like your style, is it?” He raised his head and, smiling, gazed into the distance: “You called me here just to let me witness with my own eyes your indulgence in letting the Holy Slaves leave? It would have been fine if I hadn’t seen it, but now that I have, how am I supposed to report back? Do you expect me to pretend I didn't see anything?”

Yu Lingdi shook his head, troubled. “I can't do that.”

“Me too.” Number Thirty-Three mumbled gruffly from the side, scratching his head. “The Hall Master wants me to be an honest child.”

Xu Xiaoshou was immediately drawn to the tall figure. No matter how well the voice was imitated, he could still detect a faint mechanical undertone from the tall man. “Heavenly Secret Puppet?” Xu Xiaoshou thought of Ah-Jie. Unsurprisingly. Ah-Jie was a defective product from the First Generation, from Dao Qiongcang. This guy, then, must be his proudest creation… the complete form?

“Gentlemen.” Yu Lingdi withdrew his gaze, letting it fall upon Cen Qiaofu, who stood in front. “No need for pleasantries. Let’s assign opponents. I’ll take one.” He raised a finger and pointed at…

Xu Xiaoshou!

“Little Stone Tan Ji?” Xu Xiaoshou's face instantly darkened. “Damn it, there are three powerful figures here, and you pick on the softest target?”

“Looking at your cultivation, you’re not even a Grandmaster, are you?” Yu Lingdi’s expression became slightly amused. “I’m very curious how you managed to survive and walk out with such cultivation.”

“From the White Cave, and from Senior Wuyue's deterrence.” His gaze lowered, settling on the You Si Sword in Xu Xiaoshou's hand. With this sword, Senior Wuyue definitely wouldn't let this kid go. But the fact that this guy was still alive indicated something…

“I’m also very curious how you broke through my ‘Flower Fragrance Homeland’.” A clear, cold voice suddenly drifted from afar. Immediately, Xu Xiaoshou saw a white-robed man stepping from the horizon, seemingly treading on begonia petals.

At first glance, Xu Xiaoshou finally saw, for the first time in a long while, what a true senior master looked like. His ethereal bearing, like that of an exiled immortal, coupled with the six-petaled begonia flower delicately held in his hand, truly made him seem like a celestial official untouched by worldly affairs!

Xu Xiaoshou subconsciously glanced in the Storyteller’s direction. This type, he must like, right? As expected. The Storyteller's face instantly flushed crimson upon seeing the newcomer, an unstoppable radiant smile blooming on his face.

“Big Brother Haitang’er!”

*Shudder—* Xu Xiaoshou’s skin immediately crawled with goosebumps. That fawning voice could practically raise the dead.

Wait a minute! They know each other? A lightbulb went off in Xu Xiaoshou's mind. Seeing the Storyteller's genuine excitement, he suddenly realized a crucial question.

“One of us?” He turned and asked Cen Qiaofu.

“Yes.” Cen Qiaofu nodded. “Holy Slave Seat Nine, supervisor of the Northern Region’s Seven Severed Sanctuaries’ ‘Flower Fragrance Homeland,’ Haitang’er.”

*Gasp!* The Northern Region! Seven Severed Sanctuaries! Seat Nine!

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't even met this so-called Haitang’er, but from those few brief descriptive words alone, he could already imagine the newcomer’s strength. This was the Holy Slaves’ true power? When they wanted to leave, people would just come in waves to pick them up?

The masked man remained perfectly calm. Looking at Haitang’er, who had stopped in the distant sky to prevent the Storyteller from pouncing on him, he instead frowned and asked, “Why did you come too?”

“If I didn’t come, could you handle it?” Haitang’er paused, then said, “Outside of this place, there are seven hundred Holy Divine Guards waiting. Even if you break through their blockade of seven hundred…” He turned his head to glance at Yu Lingdi and said, “The Evil Sin Bow of Ai Cangsheng is also watching.”

“Oh?” The masked man raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. “Isn’t he watching Shen Yi?”

Haitang’er’s expression was unruffled, showing no hint of joy, even after a long separation. If not for the masked man speaking to him, an outsider wouldn't even be able to tell they knew each other. He merely said coldly, “What’s the difference between watching one person and watching two, for someone who can reside in Mount Gui Zhe and yet have the entire continent within their firing range?”

The masked man’s eyes showed renewed surprise. “The entire continent?”

“Mm.”

“Were you targeted?”

Haitang’er suddenly fell silent, and the masked man silently lowered his head. “Everyone’s progressing…” He mused for a long time, then sighed, finally shifting his gaze back to Yu Lingdi.

“My friend.” Saying this, he took a step forward.

Xu Xiaoshou watched from behind, somewhat startled. From the tone, could it be that these two also knew each other? His influence, as Ba Zun'an, reached this extent? What was he trying to do?

Contrary to expectation, yet somehow anticipated, the scene reappeared. The masked man, as if nothing were amiss, walked straight up to Yu Lingdi and Number Thirty-Three before stopping. He said sincerely, “From your tone just now, it seems you two had some misunderstanding with Haitang’er. But now that I’m here, how about you give me some face and let this matter go?”

Ever since encountering Xu Xiaoshou, the masked man had discovered a more efficient combat method than swordsmanship. It was talking. This was a super spiritual technique that could end everything without shedding a single drop of blood. Only the truly shameless could employ it! In the past, he would have prided himself on never acting this way. But at this moment, the masked man felt he could try anything. At the very least, he had just successfully dealt with Gou Wuyue, who could have severely harmed the Holy Slaves, by leveraging a favor.

Yu Lingdi was stunned. He looked as if he was seeing the person in front of him for the first time, and asked in surprise, “Who are you?”

“Who I am isn’t important. What’s important is that Gou Wuyue gave me face, and he’s your senior. Shouldn’t you consider following his example and doing the same?”