Chapter 866: I Want You Dead; Not Even Immortals Can Save You

Eastern Region.Yunlun Mountains.

Xu Xiaoshou felt as if an entire century had passed as he performed a "Soul Read" on the spider monster before him. The severe headache caused by the after-effects of facing a saint eased considerably the moment various wills within him awakened.

In his mind, the Saint Blood left by Elder Sang stirred gently, seemingly ready to unleash its power and help him completely withstand this attack.

But Xu Xiaoshou immediately suppressed the unusual stirrings of the Saint Blood.

He knew this wasn't the time to use it. Within the Yunlun Mountains, even Throne-level power was not permitted; his use of Saint power would only lead to far more terrifying consequences.

He forcibly ended the "Soul Read." The Black Heart Mother Gu in front of him was clearly dazed from the read; its lunging form completely lost control and hurtled directly towards his face.

In this moment of crisis, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't even take a single step back. He bit the tip of his tongue, and using the slight physical reaction brought on by the pain, his finger moved slightly.

"Perception Realm Force Field!"

With a buzzing tremor, airwaves expanded, and a domain unfolded.

The onlookers, still wondering why both combatants had suddenly lost consciousness simultaneously, then saw the Black Heart Mother Gu, hurtling directly towards Young Master Xu, seemingly collide with something.

"Clang, clang, clang—"

A sharp ringing sound erupted, as if countless sharp swords had begun to cut.

The Black Heart Mother Gu's hard shell, about ten feet away from Xu Xiaoshou, snapped against the void-like outer wall of the domain, forming an arc. Then, countless sword marks appeared on its shell, accompanied by the sounds.

The sword marks were extremely deep. However, having been enhanced by a Half-Saint, the Black Heart Mother Gu evidently possessed extraordinary defense. It actually resisted the "Perception Realm Force Field's" domain, slowly pushing inward.

"That's too tough!"

Xu Xiaoshou was bewildered. Moreover, his spirit had been severely damaged during the "Soul Read," preventing him from using any other abilities. He could only watch helplessly as the Black Heart Mother Gu relentlessly approached him, step by step.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

The piercing sword sounds echoed through the entire void. Everyone watched, necks craned, their faces filled with astonishment.

They could anticipate that the Black Heart Mother Gu's loss of control was likely due to something Young Master Xu had done. However, Young Master Xu's move must have triggered an unknown counterattack, causing him harm. But what was this domain-like ability now emerging from the injured Young Master Xu?

The crowd could not see the transparent "Blade Light" within the "Perception Realm Force Field." But when an external object entered this domain, seeing only the increasingly dense sword marks on the Black Heart Mother Gu, they could deduce something.

"A passive, triggered... domain ability?"

"He's only a Grandmaster, isn't he?!"

Everyone exclaimed in awe. Young Master Xu had too many trump cards.

Initially, seeing both sides lose control, even Jiang Xian, who was outside the field, had some inappropriate thoughts. But now, seeing that Young Master Xu still had room to counterattack even in such a perilous situation, he completely behaved himself and dared not act rashly.

"Jiii—"

The Black Heart Mother Gu, being frantically sliced by high-frequency sword light, seemed to regain a sliver of consciousness due to the pain. The moment its pair of green eyes refocused, the intense pain erupting from its body instinctively made the Black Heart Mother Gu let out an earth-shattering shriek.

This cry was so loud it felt like Xu Xiaoshou's eardrums would burst. Because at this moment, the Black Heart Mother Gu was less than a palm's distance from his face!

"It can't be cut through anymore..."

Xu Xiaoshou instantly deduced from the Black Heart Mother Gu's injuries that if he had more time, the "Perception Realm Force Field" could slice this monster into dust. But now, it was too late! The Black Heart Mother Gu had regained consciousness and would certainly not allow him to maintain the domain any longer. If it endured the pain and exerted force, Xu Xiaoshou felt that all his passive abilities wouldn't be able to withstand the Black Heart Mother Gu's subsequent burst damage.

During the "Soul Read," although he hadn't seen Half-Saint Zang Ren's process of enhancing this monster, he knew that after this monster and Duo'er had both undergone a carefully prepared baptism by a Half-Saint, they must possess terrifying, unknown trump cards. Perhaps, it had an unknown burst of damage similar to that after devouring Saint Blood.

"Jii!"

After regaining consciousness, the Black Heart Mother Gu's second explosive shriek was imbued with a heavy killing intent. At this moment, it clearly knew what this human in front of it had done. This mere ant dared to harm its precious body and even steal its soul memories.

Death was too good for it!

Thus, the onlookers watched as the Black Heart Mother Gu, about to pounce on Young Master Xu, struggled but resolutely raised its leg-blade high within that sluggish, obscure domain. Above its leg-blade, faint Saint power fluctuations actually shimmered!

"Watch out!""Young Master Xu!""Xu Xiao... Young Master Xu, watch out!"

Xiao Wanfeng and the others instantly felt a chill run down their spines and immediately wanted to intervene. Su Qianqian drew her sword. Mu Zixi prepared to open her eyes. Behind them, Xing Gugu, Liu Changqing, and others, who had been watching the spectacle, had never imagined such a small monster could push Young Master Xu to this extent. For a moment, even if they wanted to help, it seemed somewhat too late.

In that fleeting moment, a flash of inspiration struck Xu Xiaoshou's mind. He remembered the experiments he had conducted when first awakening the "Perception Realm Force Field." This awakened ability could change its shape!

In an instant, just as the Black Heart Mother Gu's leg-blade slashed down, Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts stirred, and the "Perception Realm Force Field" suddenly narrowed and stood upright, resembling an invisible sword materializing out of thin air. The "Perception Realm Force Field," originally ten feet in radius, brimming with "Blade Light," was instantly compressed into a vertical line. One could easily imagine the terrifying cutting power concentrated within it!

The crowd only saw the Black Heart Mother Gu, which had initially seemed to move in slow motion, suddenly become as swift as lightning! After its leg-blade suddenly accelerated downward, even Mu Zixi couldn't react in time.

But! The Black Heart Mother Gu, already heavily wounded by the "Perception Realm Force Field," could not withstand the passive defense unleashed by Xu Xiaoshou's transformed ability.

"Whoosh!"

With only a faint sound, the Black Heart Mother Gu's front leg was sliced off just as it reached his face. The front half flew past Xu Xiaoshou's scalp, while the part still attached to its body whizzed past the Black Heart Mother Gu's astonished eyes, yet it didn't even touch the tip of Xu Xiaoshou's nose.

"Die..." Xu Xiaoshou's lips moved, and he finally uttered the two weak words. His gaze was indifferent as he watched the Black Heart Mother Gu, unable to control its momentum. Its entire body, following the downward trajectory of its leg-blade, crashed straight into the "Perception Realm Force Field" in its invisible sword form.

"Jii!!!"

Although the Black Heart Mother Gu couldn't see the invisible sword, it seemed to realize the risk of losing control of its body. At a crucial moment, it actually forcibly halted its momentum, and by pushing off the void with several left legs, its body began to shift sideways!

"Heh." Xu Xiaoshou sneered. His awakened ability was never limited to just that.

"If I want you dead, even a deity won't be able to save you!"

His gaze shifted. The "Perception Realm Force Field" invisible sword followed the Black Heart Mother Gu's sideways shift and sliced through the air.

—Slice!

"Whoosh!"

Another faint sound. The Black Heart Mother Gu's supposedly impenetrable shell was instantly cleaved into two halves the moment the invisible sword line passed through it.

"Whoa!"

A commotion broke out among the onlookers. What everyone witnessed was simply the Black Heart Mother Gu, even after its leg-blade was severed and despite its sideways shift, still meeting the fate of being cut in half.

"What, what kind of ability is this now?"

Everyone was awestruck and fearful. Young Master Xu clearly couldn't even move. With just two eyes and two words, the valiant, god-like Black Heart Mother Gu was gone?

The Black Heart Mother Gu, severed during its sideways shift, had one half of its body flung high, while the other half hurtled towards Xu Xiaoshou. However, after a dull thud, even though Xu Xiaoshou's mental state was weak at that moment, his physical body, relying on "Resilience," remained completely motionless. The half of the Black Heart Mother Gu that struck him was instantly sliced again by the invisible sword with a "whoosh," making everyone's scalp tingle.

"Vanish!"

Xu Xiaoshou knew countless eyes were on him at this moment. Not just those present, but also that perpetually observing gaze from high above the heavens must also be fixed on him. So, since he had revealed additional abilities, it was absolutely impossible for him to leave the Black Heart Mother Gu's corpse for others to study.

Immediately, the "Perception Realm Force Field" expanded once more. Having lost mental control, the remaining severed pieces of the Black Heart Mother Gu could no longer withstand such cutting power and were directly pulverized into dust by the invisible domain. Black shell powder, dark green blood foam, fragments of hair too tiny to see...

Xu Xiaoshou raised his head amidst the scattered remnants of dust, like a blood-soaked demon god opening its eyes. The killing intent he couldn't suppress in that instant made everyone present tremble in fear.

"Great Demon King!""This is the true Great Demon King, Young Master Xu!""Long live Boss Xu!""May Boss Xu reign for thousands of generations and unify the martial world!"

The members of Xu's Gang, led by Rong Dahao, cheered wildly and celebrated madly. Mu Zixi, Su Qianqian, Xing Gugu, Liu Changqing, and others also landed in front of Xu Xiaoshou, still shaken, and asked with concern, "Young Master Xu?"

Everyone was concerned about Xu Xiaoshou's physical well-being. After all, Duo'er's ultimate trump card as a Half-Saint's successor, the unique ability of the Black Heart Gu Clan's Mother Gu, had only truly been experienced firsthand by Young Master Xu. Only he knew what had truly happened in that fleeting moment of lightning and fire.

"I am fine." Xu Xiaoshou smiled faintly, feeling the special effects of "Transformation" within his body. At this moment, the mental weakness caused by facing a saint was rapidly being transformed and restored to normal levels by his body's full array of abilities. The Black Heart Mother Gu might have had more trump cards, but after the "Soul Read," the monster was slain before it even fully regained consciousness. How much could Xu Xiaoshou have possibly lost?

"Let's not talk about that for now..."

Xu Xiaoshou turned his gaze towards Duo'er. Duo'er, who had previously had a large hole torn in her chest, had been repaired by an unknown force at some point and was now in a deep sleep. She probably didn't even realize that merely by provoking Young Master Xu, another Half-Saint's successor, after just a few moves, even her Black Heart Mother Gu, which she had nurtured her entire life, had been slain.

"Should I just finish off this little girl?" Xing Gugu asked. He felt that after this battle, Xu Xiaoshou's physical injuries might not be severe, but his spirit and soul were likely heavily damaged, and thus he wanted to vent some anger for Xu Xiaoshou.

"What's the rush?" In the time it took for a few sentences, Xu Xiaoshou's spirit and vitality were already close to fully recovering. He stepped forward, turned his head, and smiled, "Her points are still in her jade pendant. Are you going to send her away?"

"Uh..." Xing Gugu had never imagined that at a time like this, Xu Xiaoshou would still be thinking about a few points. He watched in disbelief as the Great Demon King Xu walked over, frisked the sleeping girl, then pulled out her trial jade pendant and made three swift gestures.

Duo'er turned into specks of starlight and was immediately eliminated from the trial.

"Hiss!"

The onlookers who witnessed this scene collectively shivered, especially the small group behind Jiang Xian. A Half-Saint's successor, just like that, gone?

"He's terrifying! Young Master Xu is absolutely not at the level of an ordinary Grandmaster. In the Yunlun Mountains, if he wants someone dead, they die, right?" Someone secretly glanced at Jiang Xian a few times, wondering if Young Master Jiang could withstand a couple of moves from Young Master Xu. But in an instant, everyone gave up hope. Young Master Xu was too terrifying. Trump cards that others might only reveal at the brink of death were displayed by this guy as if they were worthless. Every move he made was incredibly strange. Yet, no matter how he acted, he appeared calm and composed, as if expending little effort.

Look... It had only been a short while. The Great Demon King Xu, whose face had been as pale as paper moments ago, now had even breathing and a remarkably rosy complexion. If anyone were to say he had just been through an earth-shattering battle, who would believe it? No one would!

"Young Master Xu, here, this is the Spatial Origin Stone. It's safer with you." Xiao Wanfeng retrieved the Spatial Origin Stone from Su Qianqian and handed it to Xu Xiaoshou.

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the young girl. His expression indifferent, he took the Origin Stone and said, "I will remember your kindness towards Xiao Wanfeng. Remember this... If you need anything, find me, no matter when!"

His words were firm, and everyone understood that Young Master Xu was a person who clearly distinguished between gratitude and resentment, and would repay even the smallest kindness a hundredfold. Su Qianqian, however, heard a different meaning. She knew this was Brother Xiaoshou, this was his style. Even after experiencing so much, from Tiansang City, to White Cave, to Eastern Royal City, and now to the Yunlun Mountains... This person, seemingly changed, had actually never changed at all!

"I will," she nodded softly, her voice barely a whisper.

Xu Xiaoshou turned his eyes, a faint smile on his face, and gazed towards a distant mountain peak.

There.

In a place invisible to everyone else, he could sense a pair of eyes watching him.

"Who could it be?"

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at his information panel. The information panel had always displayed these two messages: "Being spied upon, passive value +1." "Being watched, passive value +1."

And at that distant mountain peak, after comprehending the rules of space, Xu Xiaoshou clearly knew that the space in that direction had been altered. But wasn't spatial aptitude extremely rare on this continent? Someone with it came to the Yunlun Mountains? A stowaway? Or perhaps, a young person, like himself? Xu Xiaoshou immediately thought of Ye Xiaotian, but he dismissed the idea, as there was no reason for the Dean to be in the Yunlun Mountains.

After that glance, the sensation of being watched vanished, and the space at the distant mountain peak returned to normal. Xu Xiaoshou knew the other party had left, with no intention of contending for the Spatial Origin Stone. He had not felt any hostility, so he figured that either a master capable of perfectly concealing all their aura was there, or it was someone on his side.

Ba Zun'an had too many contingency plans. Xu Xiaoshou guessed that perhaps this person was also one of Ba Zun'an's preparations, similar to how Cen Qiaofu secretly protected him after the night battle in the Royal City. After all, that legendary Eighth Sword Immortal... was simply too shrewd! The moment he thought of the multiple intentions that had erupted within him after facing a saint, Xu Xiaoshou knew that in this world, he truly only needed to focus on the immediate task at hand. Anything he couldn't handle was certainly due to a hostile game-player's intervention. And matters between game-players should be left for game-players to resolve. His own body, at most, could only be considered a small chessboard; after all, it had just undergone a Half-Saint level confrontation!

"Next..."

Waving everyone away, Xu Xiaoshou's gaze met Jiang Xian, who had been waiting for a long time. He curled his lips into a smile and said, "It's Young Master Jiang. Long time no see."