Chapter 884: Kneel Down

“Are you provoking me?”

Xu Xiaoshou shouldn't have been provoked by such a crude goading tactic, but under the influence of the demonic energy from the Divine Devil Eye and the fierce demonic aura of the Four Swords, his anger was instantly stirred.

Wielding the Four Swords, he unleashed another frenzied barrage of slashes in front of him.

But no matter how sword energy scattered, he ultimately couldn't strike Yi's soul.

“Calm down…”“Calm down!”

The berserk giant that Xu Xiaoshou had become calmed down somewhat after the outburst. He repeatedly reminded himself that he needed to stay even calmer at this moment.

A Void is not so easily killed. If a Void could be killed so simply, it wouldn't hold such a revered status on the Saint God Continent.

“I don’t have a soul weapon, and even the only technique that can attack a soul, 'Finger of Illusionary Destruction,' has completely run out of charge…”

Xu Xiaoshou kept calculating what other methods he had to strike Yi’s soul.

But after much thought, it seemed he would truly have to just watch as Yi repaired his soul and then restored his physical body.

“Wait!”

A flash of inspiration struck him, and Xu Xiaoshou thought of 'Soul Reading.'

This awakened ability could inflict immense pain on a person’s physical body during its activation.

This was evident from how Yi, despite his Void cultivation, couldn’t suppress his trembling body after being hit by it previously.

If 'Soul Reading' were directly applied to Yi's soul and continuously activated, would it be possible to literally 'read' Yi's soul to death?

“Perhaps… it’s possible!”

Xu Xiaoshou immediately felt that this method had a seventy to eighty percent chance of success.

The berserk killing intent urged him to immediately unleash 'Soul Reading,' but Xu Xiaoshou forcibly reined in the impulse.

Even when reading the soul memories of a single Duo’er, Xu Xiaoshou had managed to read about a Half-Saint Zang Ren.

He didn't believe that in Yi's entire life, he hadn't seen the true face of a Half-Saint.

If this awakened ability were used and he ended up reading about Dao Qiongcang, the current Master of the Holy Divine Temple…

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts immediately sobered, and his berserk beastly desires subsided somewhat, as if he too realized how unwise this move was.

“Xuan Wuji!”

He turned his head and uttered a low growl.

Elder Wuji looked over, not understanding.

Xu Xiaoshou dispelled the berserk giant form, returning to his normal human size, and immediately felt the demonic energy's influence on him greatly reduced.

Wielding the Four Swords, he asked in a deep voice, “Yi's physical body is shattered, but why can't I see his spatial ring?”

Elder Wuji paused in thought; while simultaneously manipulating Heavenly Secrets power to contend for control of the Cloud Realm World, he found time to form a hand seal with one hand.

With just that, Heavenly Secrets patterns surged in his eyes, and he looked towards Yi's soul.

Yi, still holding the 'Divine Restoration Spirit Flower,' stood suspended in mid-air as a soul, and at this moment, he seemed to realize something, freezing completely.

Elder Wuji took just one look, his eyes gleaming, and replied, “Xu Xiaoshou, Yi's spatial ring and other treasures have all been stored within his soul space!”

Soul space… Xu Xiaoshou immediately thought of the Saint Blood in his own mind.

It seemed that the items Elder Sang had given him in the Void World had been stored in his soul space by a method that erased their physical properties.

With a thought, the items could be used.

Extremely convenient.

Thinking of this, Xu Xiaoshou frowned and asked, “Is there a way to retrieve them?”

Elder Wuji chuckled, “For an ordinary person, or even another Void, it would be absolutely impossible to directly retrieve treasures from another Void’s soul space, but as for this old man…”

“Get to the point!” Xu Xiaoshou's brows furrowed.

He was in no mood to listen to Xuan Wuji's rambling.

If this guy weren't still somewhat useful, after what happened with Mu Zixi, Xu Xiaoshou would have already wanted to plunge the Four Swords into his forehead.

Elder Wuji shivered and hurriedly transmitted a message.

“Yi is now only a soul, his abilities greatly diminished.”

“I do have a way to forcefully plunder the treasures in his soul space by setting up a Heavenly Secrets formation, but someone is currently contending with me for the Cloud Realm World, so it’s hard for me to spare a hand.”

“Moreover, during this process, Yi will undoubtedly unleash his Void power and activate his Void World to protect himself.”

“To obtain his spatial ring, the process is too cumbersome, time-consuming, and energy-draining…”

Xu Xiaoshou interrupted coldly, transmitting his voice, “Didn't you claim you were confident you could kill Yi by yourself?”

Elder Wuji choked, his old face reddening.

He was indeed confident he could kill Yi, even if Yi still had the Soul-Evading Bell for protection, but this still couldn’t escape his control.

But killing takes time!

Heavenly Secrets is the strategy of the wise, just as Dao Qiongcang orchestrates the world.

To personally step in and kill just one person, the process involved is actually not as simple as for a hothead.

“Alright then!”

He gritted his teeth, stopped his hands decisively, and said, “This old man will temporarily release the Heavenly Secrets confrontation in the Cloud Realm World and go directly to kill Yi’s soul. At this point, we can only go all out!”

“But if we do this, we won’t have much time left.”

“Once the Red Guards regain control of the Cloud Realm World within a short period, we won't have more time to prepare countermeasures…”

Xu Xiaoshou sneered upon hearing this, retorting, “You still know about countermeasures?”

Xuan Wuji had initially only intended to completely abandon Mu Zixi, and focused solely on eradicating Yi to settle his personal vendetta.

After Xu Xiaoshou dispelled his berserk state, he calmed down significantly, and naturally wouldn't follow Xuan Wuji's previous intentions.

It should be known that Yi came for Mu Xiaogong.

If something happened to Yi, even if Rao Yaoyao was foolish, she would surely suspect something was wrong with Mu Xiaogong, right?

Ultimately, things would circle back around, and the First Pavilion in the Sky would still be implicated.

The current situation looked perilous, but at most, it would only expose the Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou, and have no connection to the First Pavilion in the Sky.

Xu Xiaoshou had come to help, using the identity of “Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou.”

What the Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou did, what did it have to do with Xu Deye from the First Pavilion in the Sky?

As long as the lines concerning 'Mu Zixi' and 'Mu Xiaogong' were also handled well, even if Yi died, at most it would only expose the insignificant information that “Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou was also lurking in the Yunlun Mountains and successfully avenged himself with a large number of high-ranking Saint Slaves.”

This was just a preliminary idea, and the crucial details in between still needed to be studied.

Xu Xiaoshou had no intention of letting Yi go; the opponent had already pushed things to such an extreme, he couldn't possibly just want Yi's spatial ring.

On the contrary.

Because of Yi's unique abilities, because of Elder Wuji's statement about "the imitator," and because of his own various special abilities…

At this moment, Xu Xiaoshou had a very audacious idea in his heart!

Such an idea, others might not even dare to conceive.

But Xu Xiaoshou had even made a Half-Saint power a tangible reality from mere fiction.

Was there anything in the world he wouldn't dare to fantasize about?

“What do you intend to do?”

Elder Wuji watched Xu Xiaoshou lost in thought, knowing that though the young man was indeed young, sometimes his mind was truly useful.

“Is the Heavenly Secrets formation you mentioned difficult?” Xu Xiaoshou glanced at Yi, who was rapidly recovering from his injuries in the distance, and asked via voice transmission.

“Difficult!” Elder Wuji nodded solemnly. “No Heavenly Secrets technique is easy. Its very entry barrier has already stopped too many people…”

“Why are you so verbose?” Xu Xiaoshou's eyes narrowed, and his tone suddenly turned chilling. “I asked if it was difficult; just state how difficult it is. Did I ask you to ramble or talk about other things?”

Elder Wuji was completely stumped, his face turning somewhat purple from holding it in.

He had never been reprimanded by a junior in such a manner.

But thinking of how he had let down Mu Zixi and Xu Xiaoshou earlier…

He relented.

“Even if I, this old man, can control Yi, at the very least, my Heavenly Secrets formation would require a Throne-level Heavenly Secrets Master to even have a chance of learning it, and that’s still based on needing a lot of time to study the formation.”

Elder Wuji sighed, shaking his head at Xu Xiaoshou, “This old man knows that you did pick up some superficial Heavenly Secrets techniques from who knows where, but that thing, while it could suppress Liu Changqing, is nothing in my eyes…”

“Still rambling?” Xu Xiaoshou grew impatient at the words, and the Four Swords lifted slightly.

Elder Wuji immediately fell silent.

“Received internal slander, Passive Points, +1.”

“Received curse, Passive Points, +1.”

Xu Xiaoshou looked back at Yi.

He had been monitoring the state of Yi's soul.

With a wave of the Four Swords, a black fierce demonic sword energy shot forth, immediately suppressing Yi's impulse to forcibly condense a physical body while his soul injuries were still not fully healed.

“If you dare to form a physical body, I dare to strike you down!” Xu Xiaoshou sneered towards the distance.

Yi was enraged.

Without a physical body, he was inconvenient in movement, but he wasn't afraid of the Four Swords.

However, once he condensed a physical body, while movement would be convenient, his mind would be invaded due to the body being infected by the Four Swords' fierce demonic sword energy.

This seemed to be a vicious cycle.

The result was that under the coercion of Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou, Yi seemed to be only able to remain in his soul form…

Waiting to die?

Yi was very smart.

He didn't make a second reckless attempt, but he didn't simply wait for death either.

Instead, his gaze inadvertently drifted towards Tearful Xi'er on the other side, who was still cultivating with her eyes closed, seemingly not intending to participate in the upcoming battle.

Anyone else could be unimportant.

But this woman, tonight, truly could not be allowed to live!

If she lived, the Five Regions of the Continent would be thrown into chaos!

“The Heavenly Secrets formation, teach it to me.”

On the other side, Xu Xiaoshou transmitted his voice to Elder Wuji.

Elder Wuji was speechless.

He had explained it in every way possible, yet Xu Xiaoshou was still so arrogant, actually intending to master the essence of Heavenly Secrets, passed down through countless generations, in such a short amount of time.

But what could he do?

Elder Wuji had no choice but to comply.

“I will give you a spiritual enlightenment; this is the fastest way to help you 'learn' Heavenly Secrets.” Elder Wuji shook his head, extended his hand, and placed it on Xu Xiaoshou's head.

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes, a chilling glint still within them, “Stop with the nonsense already?!”

Elder Wuji was furious, a thought to smack the young man to death flashing through his mind, but he ultimately didn't dare to act on it, and simply transmitted the incantations, hand seals, and true meaning of the "Spirit Transfer Six-Profound Array."

Xu Xiaoshou immediately felt a large amount of information appear in his mind.

It was the complete explanation of the "Spirit Transfer Six-Profound Array," including all of Elder Wuji's insights into this Heavenly Secrets formation.

The information pertaining to the Heavenly Secrets formation was obscure and difficult to understand, like a heavenly scripture.

As Elder Wuji had said, for an ordinary person to learn this formation, even a Throne-level Heavenly Secrets Master, would likely need several months to even begin to grasp its basics.

But Xu Xiaoshou was different.

Although his 'Weaving Mastery' couldn't bring creativity in Heavenly Secrets techniques, it had an almost instant effect on 'understanding' and 'mastering' obscure information related to 'Heavenly Secrets Dao pattern tracing techniques,' which were similar to 'weaving'.

Within the Tiansang City Lord's Mansion, even a powerful sub-formation like the 'Thirty-Six Heaven Sealing Unbinding Array,' Xu Xiaoshou, with his Grandmaster-level 'Weaving Mastery,' could instantly decipher it.

A Throne-level 'Weaving Mastery' would encompass almost entirely Heavenly Secrets material.

In just one breath, Xu Xiaoshou comprehended all the intricacies of the 'Spirit Transfer Six-Profound Array.'

He even found twelve flaws within it.

However, at a time like this, he didn't want to elaborate on or perfect it, nor did he have a method to perfect it.

Though it was an inferior formation, it was enough for now.

Elder Wuji saw Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes clear instantly from confusion, and knew in his heart that the young man had given up.

But he didn't dare to say anything, fearing it would hurt the young man's pride, so he could only say, “I can help you control Yi's soul, as for you… well, regardless of the outcome, just give it a try first!”

Even though he knew it was a waste of time, Elder Wuji still decided to let Xu Xiaoshou waste it, as long as he could forget the previous unpleasantness.

However, what you fear most is what happens.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes remained icy, and he turned his gaze sharply, saying grimly, “I said it before: don't talk nonsense when you shouldn't. Likewise, never overstep when I haven't asked you to meddle!”

Elder Wuji finally couldn't hold it in any longer.

How could he not hear that Xu Xiaoshou was still making veiled accusations?

How could this young man be so petty about such a small matter, even now?

“Xu Xiaoshou!”

“This old man admits that I let you and your junior sister down just now, and I wish to make amends, but you, surely you don't have to be like this?”

“No matter what, I am your senior, how can you speak to this old man in such a tone?!”

Elder Wuji's face turned red with anger, and the veins on his neck bulged.

“Shut up.”

Xu Xiaoshou merely turned indifferently and stepped forward, forming a hand seal, about to activate the Heavenly Secrets formation.

Elder Wuji heard this intolerable remark, and seeing the scene before him, he almost laughed from anger, “This old man is being so polite to you out of respect for Bazun An, do you really think you can master… in such a short time?”

“I told you to shut up!” Xu Xiaoshou, unable to tolerate it any longer, turned back again and roared.

Elder Wuji immediately flared up in rage, “What if I, this old man, say no?”

“No?”

Demonic energy surged in Xu Xiaoshou's eyes, and his killing intent exploded, no longer controllable.

He abruptly pulled out Bazun An's Eight-Character Command Token and directly hurled it into the ground between them, kicking up a cloud of dust.

“I told you to…”

He had originally intended to say “shut up.”

But at this moment, the 'Sword-Gazing Scripture,' hidden in his mind for a long time, suddenly reappeared, its pages flipping open; various inexplicable forces from his body, including demonic energy, the Four Swords, and the Eight-Character Token, caused him to abruptly change what he was about to say.

“Kneel!!”

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes were bloodshot, and coupled with 'Aura Swallowing Mountains and Rivers,' as he threw the token and finished his roar, the sky shattered, and the earth crumbled.

Elder Wuji's soul trembled, and his face instantly turned pale.

He abruptly looked up.

But at this moment, Xu Xiaoshou, in his eyes, was no longer just a young junior…

Behind this young man, the phantom images of the Three Ancestors of the White Vein actually appeared, with the phantom of Ancestor Jinzhao being the clearest.

And behind the Three Ancestors of the White Vein, stood Bazun An, towering a zhang high!

Elder Wuji seemed to see the scene within the inner island of the Void Island, where the young Bazun An conquered all, treading on the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon, pointing his sword at the Three Ancestors of the White Vein, arrogantly defiant, looking down on the world, uttering that audacious declaration…

“Both Black and White Veins, all shall bow to me! Who dares to disobey?”

With a thud.

Only then did Elder Wuji finally lose control of his trembling knees, mimicking the exact action of the Three Ancestors of the White Vein in the vision in his mind.

His knees hit the ground with a resounding thud.