Chapter 869: Left Eye Twitching for Wealth, Right Eye Twitching for Disaster

"Are you kidding?"

"No."

"Is that true?"

"It's true!"

After this exchange between Rao Yaoyao and Wang Dachui, the void fell into a prolonged silence.

A good while later, Rao Yaoyao seemed to snap back to reality, looking strangely at Yi. "What are you doing here?"

Yi was perplexed.

"Are you stunned by fear? I've been here this whole time; you're just seeing me now? Didn't you just talk to me?"

Rao Yaoyao frowned, saying sternly, "Didn't I tell you to go on a mission earlier? From the looks of it, you haven't taken the mission seriously, have you?" Her gaze swept over Ye Xiao.

Yi immediately recalled. The ponytailed girl in the spirit mirror's image was indeed the subject he was supposed to test and verify next. However, when he received the mission, he hadn't taken it seriously. But while his lack of concern was an internal thought, now that things had suddenly become serious, he dared not accept the dangerous label of "dereliction of duty."

So, Yi could only say, slightly annoyed, "How much time has passed? I have to wait until the situation in Yunlun Mountains is resolved and everyone relaxes before I can act, right?"

Rao Yaoyao didn't want to argue further and waved her hand. "Go quickly, and be serious. This concerns the Royal City Trial and the City of Sky; no matter how small it seems, there's no room for carelessness."

"You should know..." she continued, her gaze sweeping over the people in front of her, saying solemnly, "Success or failure sometimes hinges on seemingly insignificant details."

The heads of the Six Departments naturally understood this principle. But clearly, none of them wanted to be lectured with grand platitudes. Rao Yaoyao's qualifications weren't such that she could directly educate them with life experience; in this operation, the Six Departments were there to help, not to work for hire.

"Goodbye," Yi said with a smile, not even glancing at Rao Yaoyao. He simply bid farewell to Ye Xiao before vanishing.

Seeing Yi leave, Ye Xiao, who shouldn't have been there in the first place, vanished on the spot without a word.

Witnessing the awkward atmosphere, Wang Dachui didn't want to stay either. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave too?" He looked at Rao Yaoyao.

"Go," Rao Yaoyao said, waving her hand with a headache. These individuals were notoriously difficult to command. Even during the last operation in White Cave, Gou Wuyue couldn't get them to move. Their presence this time was purely due to instructions from above. They were helping not her personally, but simply because of the surname "Rao" – the "Rao" of the Dao family, the Rao family, nothing more.

"The Demonic Body of Ultimate Life…?"

Once alone again, Rao Yaoyao's thoughts quieted. She suddenly wondered if she was being too sensitive. Not to mention the immense power and resources required from the person behind it for Ye Xiao's prediction to truly come true. Even if it were true, Mu Xiaogong might not necessarily be just a Devouring Wood Body sealed by a "Demonic Body of Ultimate Life," could she? Any holy body with life attributes, once sealed, could manifest wood attributes upon awakening.

The Lei family... That tragedy was concluded. After more than ten years, who in this world, so adept at forgetting, still remembered the former glory of the "Taixu Lei Clan"?

"Young Master Xu..." Rao Yaoyao's fingertip glided across the spirit mirror, suddenly freezing the image on Young Master Xu of the First Heavenly Tower.

Why were there so many incidents involving this person and those around him? Seemingly trivial matters always seemed to involve significant karmic consequences, but if one were to truly analyze these consequences, they were too vast! Mere juniors couldn't possibly be involved. When those incidents occurred, some of these juniors hadn't even been born yet. How could someone not yet born, or a mere infant, influence the situation then and lay out such a monumental scheme affecting the present and even the future?

It wasn't that Rao Yaoyao didn't care about these juniors. She felt that if possible, what she needed to do was expose all the powerful figures behind them. No one in this world was truly clean. There's no smoke without fire. One incident could be a coincidence. But if multiple incidents involved the same person, even if they appeared clean, there had to be something wrong. Rao Yaoyao remembered this Young Master Xu, even if Yu Lingdi hadn't uncovered anything earlier, and even if nothing could be found about Mu Xiaogong in the end.

However, the immediate priority wasn't the juniors at all. It was...

"The Void Island Rift!" Rao Yaoyao looked up, gazing at the sky. In the firmament, the indistinct rift was difficult for outsiders to perceive due to the influence of holy power, but Rao Yaoyao could still sense it. She could faintly feel that something seemed to be emerging from within.

"Teng Shanhai!" Rao Yaoyao called out softly.

"I heard everything, no need to say more."

Behind her, the one-eyed Teng Shanhai, clad in the Azure Divine Armor, appeared. Several days had passed since his battle with the Saint Servant Xu Xiaoshou, and Teng Shanhai seemed to have completely dismissed the incident. It was as if his defeat as a Taixu realm expert and the head of the War Department to an ordinary junior Grandmaster wasn't a particularly shameful matter.

Upon reappearing, Teng Shanhai was calm and composed, awaiting orders. Rao Yaoyao turned and asked, "You can still sense the Divine Spear of Xiao, right?"

Teng Shanhai chuckled, "Of course. However, that Saint Servant Xu Xiaoshou possesses world power. If I don't summon it, the Divine Spear of Xiao cannot escape."

"Currently, even the connection between us has been largely severed by his world power, making it impossible to determine the Divine Spear of Xiao's location."

"However, he is too greedy!" Teng Shanhai's tone shifted as he stated emphatically, "The Divine Spear of Xiao is a lost artifact recorded on the ancient 'Relic Inscription Stele,' and it has been linked to me by blood for decades. How could mere world power completely sever that connection? As long as he dares to show himself before me again, even if he turns to ash, I can pinpoint who that Saint Servant Xu Xiaoshou truly is!"

Rao Yaoyao was relieved to hear this. "Xu Xiaoshou is crucial; he is suspected to be Eight Trigrams' successor. As long as we find his location, we can definitely follow the clues and uncover one, or even several, of the nine Saint Servants who are secretly protecting him. Keep this lead hidden yourself, and notify me immediately when there's any movement. But for now, the most urgent matter is not these juniors..."

As Rao Yaoyao spoke, she looked up at the sky, stating gravely, "I'm entrusting the Void Island Rift to you. No matter what emerges, intercept it immediately, even if you have to remove the Azure Divine Armor!"

"The Void Island Rift..." Looking up, Teng Shanhai's eyes showed apprehension. He could easily agree to anything else, but regarding this rift, he seemed hesitant.

"Below the Half-Saint realm, I can withstand any living or dead thing, but if holy power appears, or a Half-Saint makes a move..." His words trailed off, the implication clear.

Rao Yaoyao chuckled, saying, "Just do your best. The war between Half-Saints is a game played by their own strategists; who asked you to interfere?"

Teng Shanhai nodded. "Alright."

"Go."

Rao Yaoyao then dismissed Teng Shanhai, the head of the War Department, leaving herself alone. She quietly watched the spirit mirror's image, then looked at the darkening sky, counting the time.

"The Royal City Trial is almost one-third complete..." The Battle of the Nine Dragon Veins was about to begin, and the Void Island Rift had already appeared. The wind before the storm. Rao Yaoyao felt she couldn't continue to stand openly in the light; it was time for her to retreat into the shadows and make some preparations.

However, this main battlefield truly needed someone to oversee it. Lan Ling? Lan Ling had sufficient qualifications and had previously been in charge of affairs in the White Cave region. But ultimately, her position was too low; she might not even be able to command people when the time came! The more senior elders within the Red Clothes were all stationed in core dangerous areas of the Central Domain and had not been brought here by Rao Yaoyao. At this moment, she urgently needed someone to replace her and issue commands openly.

After a moment of contemplation, Rao Yaoyao made a decision. She pressed a combat channel button and asked, "Where is Situ Yongren?"

Someone quickly replied, "Mr. Situ is still in the Yunlun Mountains. He said not to disturb him unless it's urgent; he will naturally act when truly needed."

What a big shot... Rao Yaoyao scoffed inwardly, not bothering to dwell on it. To put it plainly, the Cloud Realm world ultimately still depended on Situ Yongren, the "Head of the Dao Department," to oversee it. But since Situ Yongren couldn't take on the role of openly issuing commands, there was clearly only one person left...

"Lower-ranking trial officials wouldn't dare defy orders, and the older generation knows the terrifying power of Half-Saint Xuanji, so they naturally wouldn't disrespect her. Though young, she's very intelligent. She'll suffice!"

Rao Yaoyao mused, then pressed the communication channel again and said, "Summon Yu Zhiwen. Additionally, Lan Ling will take over the tasks at the Saint God Temple's Royal City Branch."

"Understood!"

Night fell. Smoke obscured the firmament, hiding the stars. In the Yunlun Mountains, at Xu Xiaoshou's location, the Xu Gang members had finished clearing the battlefield and set up camp. The members of the Little Xu Gang knew time was precious; those with fire and lightning abilities immediately began cultivating, racing against the clock after noting their points according to the rules.

Xu Xiaoshou looked around, very pleased. In nine days, he had reunited with most of the people from the First Heavenly Tower. Except for Mo Mo, who was still missing, all other important figures were essentially by his side, so he could directly protect them if anything happened. This outcome couldn't have been more perfect.

As for Jiang Xian... Xu Xiaoshou let him go. A Half-Saint's disciple—now that there was no urgent matter, he genuinely dared not provoke him. Just reading the soul of a black-hearted mother Gu worm had caused him so much trouble. Who knew what disaster would be unleashed if he truly fought against Jiang Xian? That was someone who had been trapped by two important members of Yama, had his Three-Loathing Eyes gouged out, and still managed to survive. Even Yama didn't dare take his life.

Xu Xiaoshou felt it was best to be cautious for now. So, after tricking Jiang Xian one last time, he let him go. When he left, everyone could see that the Jiang team's morale had largely dispersed. But whether Jiang Xian would ultimately reach the top in the Royal City Trial remained unknown; after all, he was a true Half-Saint's disciple, with unfathomable depths.

Xu Xiaoshou, however, didn't care much about this. He remembered the Saint Servant assessment task given by Eight Trigrams: to win first place in the Royal City Trial and secure qualification for the Holy Palace Trial. At that time, Eastern Heaven Royal City didn't yet have Void Island, and it seemed the Royal City Trial only required the top three. But because the City of Sky had suddenly arrived, attracting geniuses from the five regions, the Holy Palace had expanded the number of spots given here from three to thirty-six. Xu Xiaoshou felt there would certainly be no problem for him to get a qualification for the Holy Palace Trial.

As for first place... he didn't really care much about the Saint Servant assessment. Whether he came in first or not was irrelevant. Obtaining a Holy Palace Trial qualification was just to give a little face to the legendary Eighth Sword Immortal; the result didn't need to be forced. The Royal City Trial would progress slowly from then on, depending on the trial's development.

Xu Xiaoshou's focus was no longer on this. He knew that with the appearance of the Void Island Rift, Eight Trigrams' next moves would likely be significant, and he had already begun planning and preparing in advance. These plans and preparations were certainly not for gaining more. On the contrary, he wanted to do his best to pull himself out of this terrifying whirlpool and stay away from the central battlefield. When the big shots stirred up trouble, it was already impressive for a young man like him to simply survive, let alone interfere.

"Young Master Xu, you need to return my position as Xu Gang's leader!" Inside the tent, Mu Zixi was still fuming, clearly displeased that someone had forcefully usurped her highest status the moment he appeared. Now that the battle was over, she could finally settle this score.

Xu Xiaoshou had an amused expression. "I founded Xu Gang; when you took over, there were already over nine hundred people. Even if you developed a few hundred more, how would you have started without that initial accumulation? And you dare ask me for the leader's position?"

Mu Zixi was extremely annoyed. "But the gang members said that whoever from the First Heavenly Tower came to take over Xu Gang first would be the new captain!"

"Aha, it's 'captain'," Xu Xiaoshou confirmed with a nod. "You said 'captain.' A captain is the leader of a team; what does that have to do with being the gang leader?"

Mu Zixi puffed out her cheeks and glared. "Cursed, Passive Points, 1, 1, 1, 1..."

After a long time, knowing she couldn't possibly win against Xu Xiaoshou's glib tongue, Mu Zixi gave up the fight. She protected her hands with spiritual energy and shook her senior brother's arm.

"Give me the leader position!"

"No."

"Give it!"

"No, since you're back by my side, how can I let you run wild?"

Xu Xiaoshou had been quite startled today. Mu Zixi's constitution, which violently absorbed life force, should be considered very dangerous in others' eyes. If this girl were given the position of Xu Gang's leader, she would definitely lead a group of people to cause trouble for others. It might be fine elsewhere, but in the Yunlun Mountains, there were powerful figures watching; how could her abnormality not be noticed? If someone with ill intentions captured her for dissection and study, the Devouring Wood Body might not reveal much, but the Divine Devil Eyes were a fatal danger! If discovered, or exposed during resistance, that thing could summon Yama to claim her life!

Furthermore, in this rundown place, there were unknown numbers of hidden stowaways. If Xu Gang went out looking for trouble and encountered a big shot disguised as a sheep, if they angered them, the other party might risk exposing their identity and wipe out hundreds or thousands of them in one go! After losing Old Man Sang, Xu Xiaoshou dared not let his junior sister be in danger. In this world, she was now the only one he could truly talk to about everything.

"Hmph! If you won't give it, then don't! I'll go play by myself!" Mu Zixi clearly failed to understand her senior brother's good intentions. After her request proved futile, she stomped her foot in extreme frustration and ran out of the tent.

"Don't run too far!" Xu Xiaoshou extended his hand, calling out from afar. He had sent off a Half-Saint's disciple today, seemingly having no rivals in the Yunlun Mountains, but the waters of this place ran too deep. A slight misstep and one could drown instantly!

Just then, the tent flap was pulled back, and Liu Changqing poked his head in. He saw Mu Xiaogong rushing in noisily and turned to say, "Young Master Xu, someone outside wishes to see you."

"Who?" Xu Xiaoshou instinctively asked.

"I don't know them. A blind person and a small girl in purple clothes. Neither are from Xu Gang," Liu Changqing replied, stepping aside for Mu Zixi as he entered the tent. The tent flap flapped wildly in the night wind.

Just as Liu Changqing and Mu Zixi passed each other, one entering and one exiting, Xu Xiaoshou's right eyelid suddenly twitched slightly. The tent flap fell. The figures had swapped positions.

Xu Xiaoshou frowned. A blind person, a girl in purple? For some reason, he had a bad feeling, though he couldn't pinpoint why. As he pondered, after a moment of quiet, Xu Xiaoshou's right eyelid began to twitch again. This time, it was very intense, almost convulsing!