Chapter 965: Ultimate Old Six Ye Xiaotian, Dead Taoist Friend Does Not Die Poor Taoist

Hua Ying?

Rao Yaoyao's brows furrowed, and she quickly reined in her sword. Her 'Mortal World Sword' technique had almost struck the dizzy girl. If the other party couldn't emerge from the 'Mortal World Heart Forging' technique, then a significant feud would be established between Rao Yaoyao and the Holy Palace's Jincao lineage.

"Why are you here?"

The moment she spoke, Rao Yaoyao found her own answer. Earlier, before the Royal City Trial began, she couldn't resist Hua Ying's persistent pestering and had specially permitted her to become an ordinary trial officer, responsible for one of the Cloud-Loong Mountain Range's trial zones. Through several urgent communications earlier, Hua Ying, as a trial officer, had clearly also received the command and rushed to Lone Sound Cliff.

Even though Rao Yaoyao had issued a final command that no other trial officers were to come here without permission, Hua Ying was not originally a member of the Holy Divine Hall. With her identity as a Holy Palace Emissary, coupled with her curious nature, it wasn't abnormal for her to come and observe. Rao Yaoyao even specifically glanced at Hua Ying's earlobe and saw the combat communicator of an ordinary trial officer hanging there, which eased her doubts.

"Is he Ye Xiaotian?" After a moment of thought, Rao Yaoyao looked at the girl carrying the large cauldron, then pointed to the white-haired, short young man behind her and asked, as if only just recognizing his identity.

Xu Xiaoshou, in the guise of Hua Ying, turned. His gaze followed Rao Yaoyao's finger without hesitation, landing on Ye Xiaotian's face. He was slightly startled. This was because the Dean, at this moment, wore a young man's face, not Ye Xiaotian's actual face. Not to mention 'Hua Ying' couldn't possibly recognize such a strange young man's face; even if the real Ye Xiaotian appeared before her without disguise, she likely wouldn't recognize his identity. Hua Ying was, after all, too young, and Ye Xiaotian had left the Holy Palace decades ago. Theoretically, they should not have met.

However, the situation had been critical just now, and Xu Xiaoshou couldn't afford to worry about such details. He looked around and, seeing the face of Martial Uncle Mu Lin, whom he had seen in the 'Holy Palace Letter,' he had an idea: use an Imitator to mimic Hua Ying's identity. Self-imitation within the Jincao White Flame lineage was incredibly simple; Xu Xiaoshou, with his experience in cross-dressing, found it effortless. But this imitation, done merely to help Ye Xiaotian break through the 'Mortal World Sword' attack without much thought, would certainly have many flaws when facing Rao Yaoyao directly.

"Fortunately, almost no one has suspected my true identity so far..." This was the only thing Xu Xiaoshou was grateful for. Transforming into Hua Ying wasn't even part of his plan; it was merely an improvisation. Since even he himself made the temporary decision at that very moment, it was virtually impossible for Rao Yaoyao and the other trial officers to harbor initial suspicions.

Without overthinking, Xu Xiaoshou, who had dealt with complex situations like Rao Yaoyao's impromptu inquiries many times before, imitated Hua Ying's demeanor, mannerisms, and especially her mind, which had been affected by the Jincao White Flame. Adhering to the principle of 'if you don't know, you don't know; no need to force it,' he nodded woodenly and looked back at Rao Yaoyao: "He is Senior Ye..."

He offered no explanation. Xu Xiaoshou shifted all his peculiar actions onto 'someone else,' confident that Rao Yaoyao would instantly know who that 'someone else' was. Indeed, upon hearing this, Rao Yaoyao's eyelids narrowed, and a hint of suspicion appeared on her face. But soon, she tilted her head, looked at Bai Lian and Mu Lin, who were observing from a distance on Lone Sound Cliff, and felt relieved.

"I knew Hua Ying wouldn't just show up suddenly. So these two really are behind it... What a pity. If Bai Lian had intervened to stop me this time, I could have at least gained a favor from him. But with Hua Ying, Bai Lian can simply dismiss it as an ignorant scuffle among juniors..." Rao Yaoyao secretly lamented the missed opportunity. She had indeed sensed Ye Xiaotian's intention to surrender and had also seen Bai Lian's momentary impulse to intervene and save him. So she used an even fiercer 'Mortal World Sword' technique, forcing the two of them into a desperate situation.

Unexpectedly, Bai Lian made a winning move, summoning his disciple at the crucial moment. And Hua Ying's appearance would shoulder the punishment Bai Lian himself would have incurred by intervening, doing so at the minimum possible cost. "Junior's ignorance..." This excuse, at this moment, was simply too clever!

Rao Yaoyao sighed inwardly again, sheathed her sword, and looked back at Bai Lian, coldly snorting, "Let's be frank, Bai Lian, what is your intention?"

"What is my intention? I don't even know what my intention is!" Bai Lian and Mu Lin's expressions were almost identical; their gazes hadn't left the suddenly appeared Hua Ying.

"Did you call her?" Mu Lin even subtly transmitted a message to his disciple.

"Theoretically, Hua Ying isn't smart enough to know to intervene for me. If she had come and encountered me, she would definitely have greeted me first; I'm very certain of that. So she's not Hua Ying... but she *is* Hua Ying..." Bai Lian responded with self-contradictory words without even turning his head. Then the two continued to stare at the cauldron-carrying girl, whose vacant expression was incredibly realistic, and fell into a long silence.

Before long, Mu Lin noticed the girl's abnormality. She was very real. Falsely real. But Mu Lin could tell at a glance that everything about her was actually fake. Only the alchemy cauldron was not fake! To outsiders, that very large three-legged cauldron might have seemed like a typical emblem of the Jincao lineage, generally similar in appearance and unrecognizable without close scrutiny. However, everyone present overlooked a small detail: the three-legged cauldron Hua Ying carried only had three legs, not the conventional four. And in Mu Lin's memory, even his own cauldron had four legs.

The only person in the Jincao lineage who possessed a three-legged cauldron was his senior brother, Sang Qiye, who carried the 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness,' an ancient relic artifact personally bestowed by their master, Long Rong. And upon careful examination of Hua Ying's current three-legged cauldron, Mu Lin recognized it as the 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness'!

"It's impossible for Hua Ying to know Ye Xiaotian; they've never met... Yet Hua Ying suddenly appeared and did what Bai Lian and I wanted to do but found difficult due to our identities. She understands what I'm thinking... She also has Senior Brother's 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness'..." Mu Lin seemed to have realized something, as his disciple, Bai Lian, had been reporting the situation to him throughout his journey to the Eastern Region.

"There's a murderer who kills aberrations in the Cloud-Loong Mountain Range, suspected to be Xu Xiaoshou... Xu Xiaoshou inherently possesses the ability to imitate others. If he truly killed the aberration, he should have obtained an Imitator and gained the ability to transform into myriad forms... Hua Ying's identity can be faked, but the 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness' cannot... She... is Xu Xiaoshou transformed?" As Mu Lin reached this conclusion, he nearly lost his composure in surprise. But he feigned indifference, silently glanced at his disciple Bai Lian, and transmitted a message: "Cooperate with your disciple. She is very clever right now."

Bai Lian raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, but likewise did not let his emotions show. He could only vaguely deduce that his disciple had some strange conclusion, but just as Hua Ying couldn't possibly know Ye Xiaotian, he, Bai Lian, had never personally seen his Senior Uncle Sang Qiye. This was because when he entered the sect, Senior Uncle Sang Qiye had already defected from the Holy Palace. Naturally, Bai Lian would not receive the small piece of information, 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness,' which Xu Xiaoshou deliberately revealed and only Mu Lin would recognize.

"Holy Palace Emissary Bai Lian, greets Sword Immortal Rao." Bai Lian did not directly respond to Rao Yaoyao's words because his recent transmission and thought time with his master had been a bit long, and a direct response might arouse suspicion. So he changed the subject, using the necessary formalities of a formal meeting to gloss over this small detail.

"Dispense with the pleasantries. It's urgent in wartime. Just tell me your thoughts directly!" Rao Yaoyao didn't bother arguing much with Bai Lian. While nodding in acknowledgment, she secretly transmitted a message to Wang Dachui: "Huang Quan certainly hasn't gone far. Since you've seen him with your own eyes, search outwards, trace his physique's aura, and make sure to track his whereabouts."

Wang Dachui accepted the order, nodded, and discreetly withdrew from the area. Bai Lian paid no mind to Wang Dachui's actions. Seeing Rao Yaoyao's gaze still fixed on him, he slowly stepped forward and explained on behalf of his disciple: "My disciple's rash action was indeed her mistake. However, I believe my disciple recognized some characteristics of a Holy Palace senior I once described to her: spatial attribute, white hair, short stature... she thought it was her senior and thus intervened to stop Sword Immortal Rao's actions..." As Bai Lian spoke, he came forward smiling to Hua Ying, glanced at his disciple's face, carefully scrutinized it, and then continued, "Well, a junior's childish prank has made Sword Immortal Rao laugh."

Xu Xiaoshou had heard the words 'Master Bai Lian' from Hua Ying's mouth. With Rao Yaoyao's address, he also confirmed that the person standing next to the eyebrow-less Mu Lin was the current representative of the Holy Palace's Jincao lineage. So, he bowed respectfully and reservedly: "Greetings, Master."

Bai Lian nodded slightly, stepped in front of his disciple, and absorbed all of Rao Yaoyao's hostility.

Rao Yaoyao sneered, "I have my own mission in the Cloud-Loong Mountain Range. Do you know what risks accompanied Hua Ying's actions just now, and the subsequent culpability?"

"As I said..." Bai Lian maintained his gentle smile, "Juniors can be ignorant. Why should Sword Immortal Rao fuss over it?" He turned around with a smile, looked at the white-haired, short young man by the cliff, and said with slight hesitation, "And if my disciple truly wasn't mistaken, you are a senior of my Holy Palace... In that case, this matter truly shouldn't be handled by Sword Immortal Rao. Matters of the Holy Palace should be dealt with by the Holy Palace itself."

Ye Xiaotian understood Bai Lian's gaze and the implied meaning, but he said nothing more.

Rao Yaoyao scoffed at this, her gaze also falling on Ye Xiaotian, the person in question. She sneered, "He's called Zhou Can, not Ye Xiaotian!"

Bai Lian froze, looking at Ye Xiaotian, and echoed the question, "Is that so?"

Ye Xiaotian had never doubted Hua Ying's authenticity. In his world, Bai Lian intervening to have Hua Ying take that 'Mortal World Sword' strike for him was already immense help. Now, how could he possibly drag the Holy Palace's Jincao lineage into this quagmire?

"That's right, my name is Zhou Can." Ye Xiaotian stated it openly and grandly. At that moment, he suddenly understood why Xu Xiaoshou sometimes clung to his false identity even to the point of death; it was truly out of necessity.

Mu Lin sighed inwardly. Knowing Ye Xiaotian's thoughts, he no longer pressed the issue. Bai Lian blatantly gestured with his eyes, but Ye Xiaotian merely slowly shook his head and remained silent, so he too gave up the struggle.

"Heh." Seeing this scene, Rao Yaoyao laughed aloud. Outwardly, she gave the Holy Palace Emissaries great face, asking, "Well then, since even the person involved admits this was a misunderstanding, may I ask the Holy Palace Emissaries to temporarily step back and allow me to conclude this matter first?"

Xu Xiaoshou, in the guise of Hua Ying, tried to struggle a bit more, but Bai Lian, without a word, reached out and pulled him back. Passive skills like 'Sharp,' 'Reverberation,' and 'Sturdy' didn't cause much harm to Bai Lian, who possessed a throne body. They only made Bai Lian look slightly surprised after gripping his disciple's wrist. Then, he calmly released his hand and admonished, "Why aren't you apologizing to Sword Immortal Rao for your reckless action?"

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at Bai Lian, then swept his gaze to Rao Yaoyao, finally settling on Ye Xiaotian in the very back. Up to this point, the information bar only displayed a 'Suspected' message. Undoubtedly, this was contributed by Bai Lian; Rao Yaoyao and the others hadn't noticed the abnormality in his identity. He was somewhat unwilling, but seeing that Ye Xiaotian himself had insisted to this extent, if he continued, he would be exposed. So, bending at the waist, Xu Xiaoshou imitated how Hua Ying might behave when facing Rao Yaoyao and apologized very sincerely: "My apologies, Hua Ying was reckless."

Watching the sudden, unwelcome guest Hua Ying being pulled away, Rao Yaoyao raised her sword and refocused her gaze on Ye Xiaotian. But with this brief delay, Ye Xiaotian no longer had to directly endure the 'Mortal World Heart Forging' from the Mortal World Sword. He had also decided not to openly admit his true identity and had gained a moment of respite. How could he truly allow Rao Yaoyao to apprehend him?

Seeing Rao Yaoyao's gaze, now resolute, as she raised her sword, Ye Xiaotian acted swiftly before anyone else could react. "Break!" he roared. From within the void of the Heavenly Dao, five panicked, hidden figures were abruptly pulled out by the Grand Dao of Space: the five top-tier Golden Hunter Order assassins. Inside the spatial currents, two disheveled figures, the scruffy uncle and Night Owl, who hadn't had time to prepare, were also blasted out by the spatial storm.

This sudden turn of events truly stunned Rao Yaoyao and the other enforcement officers. No one recognized the five unremarkable figures. But the distinctively characterized scruffy uncle and Night Owl were truly unexpected.

"Bazun An?""No, you're the one who imitated Bazun An during the Royal City night battle..." Rao Yaoyao looked at the uncle, who seemed slightly stunned by his true form being exposed, her face full of shock and doubt. Then she turned her gaze to Night Owl, her thoughts deepening: "Why is she here too?"

On the other side. "Son of a b*tch!" The five assassins, not having such good tempers, immediately cursed. They had already hidden far away, never imagining that this spatial-mastery stowaway would blast them out for his own self-preservation.

Rather a dead friend than a dead me... Ye Xiaotian briefly apologized in his heart but had no intention of giving anyone a chance. Now, only chaos offered his sole chance to escape!

"Universe Shift!" He struck repeatedly, and the esoteric array beneath his feet expanded once more. The five assassins and the scruffy uncle, who had been attempting to escape, hadn't even had time to react again when they were unexpectedly teleported by spatial power directly onto Lone Sound Cliff. The six individuals, neatly lined up like shield-bearers, stood in front of Ye Xiaotian, resembling a warm haven. Similarly, they also received Rao Yaoyao's ruthless gaze on Ye Xiaotian's behalf. At this, several people cursed inwardly.