Chapter 966: Water

What a move!

Xu Xiaoshou, now transformed into Hua Ying and led back by Bai Lian, was utterly stunned by the Dean's incredible maneuver. Before he could even fully react, Ye Xiaotian, having completed his actions, calmly nodded to those in front of him.

"Farewell, everyone."

Then, with a powerful thrust, he broke through space and shot into the sky.

The five assassins and the slovenly uncle had no desire to fight for a despicable person like Ye Xiaotian. They simultaneously transformed into streaks of light and shot off in different directions.

Rao Yaoyao, having previously emerged from within the Heavenly Secret World, had already sensed a peculiar aura in the area and knew there were still stowaways present. However, she truly hadn't anticipated that Ye Xiaotian's explosive move would reveal the person who had been imitating Bazun An! She raised her hand without hesitation.

"Capture them all!"

The well-established predicament within the Heavenly Secret World had already been frustratingly disrupted by some inexplicable young sword cultivator. Now, with Ye Xiaotian's explosion revealing several more Tai Xu experts, there was no way she could let them escape.

No sooner had Rao Yaoyao spoken than the surrounding trial officials, realizing there wasn't enough time to form a trapping array, immediately activated their domains, intending to encircle everyone within the Lone Sound Cliff area.

"Domain, activate!"

"...Activate!"

"...Activate!"

Hundreds of diverse domains reopened. Xu Xiaoshou and the others, who had previously been trapped within the Heavenly Secret World, had already experienced this display. However, the five assassins outside, never having been targeted so intensely by the Holy Divine Palace, were even more terrified and fled in a panic.

But before the hundreds of domains could converge, Ye Xiaotian appeared to have anticipated the trial officials' actions. He ascended to a high altitude and suddenly stopped, knowing that while he could escape if trapped by these hundreds of domains, if his human shields were intercepted, all the trial officials' firepower would then be concentrated solely on him.

Even adhering to the principle of "better you than me," Ye Xiaotian still believed his companions should at least be capable of delaying the trial officials. And the prerequisite for achieving this: All six human shields needed to be able to break through the domains and fly in different directions. This way, they could disperse six-sevenths of the trial officials' firepower. For this reason, Ye Xiaotian didn't mind intervening to help his human shields breach the domains.

"Shatter!"

He formed a hand seal in the high sky, and a spatial profound-truth formation diagram unfurled beneath his feet. The hundreds of trial officials' domains, which had not yet merged, seemed to have encountered the supreme sovereign of domains and collapsed with a resounding roar! Afterward, these domain fragments that withered in mid-air re-condensed, transforming into a bright, twisted, and bizarre mirror-like world that seemed to possess countless parallel layers. In this world, countless reflections of Ye Xiaotian were cast.

"Lord of Ten Thousand Worlds!"

Over a hundred domains were instantly breached by Ye Xiaotian's power alone. This sudden turn of events startled not only the human shields but also all the trial officials. They had considered that spatial attributes held significant dominance over domain-type abilities. However, they had never imagined that Ye Xiaotian, a Sovereign Dao Realm expert with perfected spatial profound-truth, could so easily breach even domains created by Tai Xu experts! If Huang Quan had made such a move, it would have been understandable. But for a Sovereign Dao Realm expert to be so powerful, it left everyone sighing in awe.

The thirteen Tai Xu experts, who were far behind, watched dumbfounded. After their initial shock, they solemnly observed the stowaways scattering and fleeing, then whispered among themselves:

"I only knew that Yu Lingdi, the Chief of the Spirit Department, is a master of water profound-truth whose combat power rivals a Tai Xu expert. But I've never personally witnessed it, so I couldn't imagine how a Sovereign Dao Realm expert could withstand Tai Xu power."

"Now, this master of spatial profound-truth is truly astonishing."

"Just this 'Lord of Ten Thousand Worlds' technique, breaching over a hundred domains... Even if I make some breakthroughs in my cultivation realm in the future, I will never provoke someone who has mastered a profound-truth attribute."

Hong Dang, the Dragon Subduer, said this, his face etched with apprehension.

"'Indeed,' Granny Tianling exclaimed in astonishment. 'The power of profound-truth, I'd only heard of it occasionally before. I never imagined I'd witness it firsthand, and what I've witnessed this time is the most special: spatial attribute profound-truth power!'"

Real Person Huang Yang nodded in strong agreement, "This humble Daoist feels the same way..."

Before the thirteen Tai Xu experts could fully adopt the posture of bystanders, Teng Shanhai barked at them, "All of you, shut up! Form into pairs, split up, and capture them! Whoever captures a stowaway will be credited with a great merit!"

"Uh..."

The thirteen Tai Xu experts had originally intended to remain aloof, but at his words, they exchanged glances and simultaneously shot forth, pursuing the stowaways. However, these thirteen Tai Xu powerhouses tacitly avoided Ye Xiaotian, a Sovereign Dao Realm expert, and the eight-fingered uncle carrying a sack, instead exclusively chasing the five Gold Hunter Order assassins who appeared to be weaker.

"Damn old fox..."

Teng Shanhai cursed under his breath but knew that no matter how much these individuals craved merit, they wouldn't rashly engage someone with combat power equivalent to a "Chief of the Spirit Department" or an unidentified individual "suspected to be the Eighth Sword Immortal."

Isn't life good? Why rush to die? Since those below were unwilling to undertake these difficult and exhausting tasks, Teng Shanhai knew he had to shoulder them himself. He charged in the direction Ye Xiaotian had fled. As for the "Eighth Sword Immortal" carrying the sack... Teng Shanhai knew that Rao Yaoyao would handle him herself.

"They all ran away?"

Xu Xiaoshou, pulled to Bai Lian's side, watched the trial officials, neatly divided into several teams, charging towards the fleeing stowaways, and was momentarily stunned. His involvement in this battle was entirely inexplicable. His escape from it was even more perplexing.

He had only intended to transform into Hua Ying to resolve the Dean's predicament under the "Red Dust Sword." Little did he expect that, due to his identity as a Holy Palace Emissary, and because Hua Ying was too realistic and contrasted too greatly with Huang Quan, Rao Yaoyao, from beginning to end, never broke free from the mental inertia of her previous confrontation with Yama Huang Quan to realize his identity was suspicious. And with Mu Lin's peripheral cooperation, he had actually become the only one to slip through the vast net cast by the trial officials.

"All warfare is based on deception!"

Only then did Xu Xiaoshou realize how powerful imitators could be, and how crucial his continuously honed acting skills were. Look! Even the slovenly uncle carrying the sack had to temporarily avoid Rao Yaoyao's blade and choose to retreat. If only he had mastered more indirect tactics, instead of just sword moves and techniques, perhaps he would have already made his escape. Xu Xiaoshou felt quite smug.

But suddenly, his information panel flashed, displaying a message that made his scalp tingle: "Attacked, Passive Value, 1."

Subconsciously, Xu Xiaoshou wanted to dodge any potential enemy attack and then activate his "Vanishing Art." Yet in his "Perception" God's-eye view, there was no threat anywhere nearby. Not to mention, Mu Lin and Bai Lian, two powerhouses from the Emberglow lineage, also seemed like outsiders, just as he had been previously, still watching the grand chase between the trial officials and the stowaways.

"Master..." Xu Xiaoshou's heart pounded, and tiny beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He sensed a great terror and whispered.

"'How magnificent!' Bai Lian exclaimed, watching, feeling incredibly relaxed as an outsider."

After noticing a slight anomaly with his disciple, he looked down and asked, "What is it?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked up and was horrified to see tiny beads of sweat also seeping from Bai Lian's forehead! Yet at that moment, Bai Lian was completely unaware, utterly oblivious to the special changes occurring in his body!

"Something's wrong."

Mu Lin, standing nearby, suddenly constricted his pupils as his entire body ignited with black Annihilating Divine Fire. The flames instantly evaporated the fine sweat also seeping from his skin. He sharply turned his head, only to see Bai Lian at that moment, completely drenched yet oblivious. And the anomaly that Bai Lian hadn't noticed, Hua Ying... no, Xu Xiaoshou had detected it even earlier than he had!

"Do you know what's happening?"

Mu Lin blurted out the question while helping Bai Lian evaporate the moisture from his body. As Bai Lian also became horrified and aware, Mu Lin abruptly changed his tone and declared, "Leave this place first!"

"Let's get out of here!" At the same time, Xu Xiaoshou also quickly spoke.

He didn't know what was happening, but he understood that he had come to this place because of a special "guiding" force. And from beginning to end, Lone Sound Cliff itself had presented no unusual variables that would allow him to escape Rao Yaoyao's scheme. Even Gu Qing'er's unexpected arrival and intervention seemed like a "coincidence" to Xu Xiaoshou. Now, Xu Xiaoshou no longer believed in "coincidences"! He felt that the power that had "guided" him here might already be at work!

"Follow me..."

Mu Lin knew time was pressing and dared not ask further questions. He grabbed Bai Lian's collar with one hand and Xu Xiaoshou's shoulder with the other. At the same time, a golden formation disc flew out from his ring. The disc flashed brightly. However, the next second, as if intricate gear machinery had been corroded by prolonged dampness, the formation disc suddenly showed rusty marks—the teleportation had failed!

"Dampness..."

"Sweat beads..."

"Water..."

Xu Xiaoshou's heart rate suddenly accelerated, and he immediately looked around. Sure enough, the humidity in the air had unknowingly soared, reaching an extremely damp state, with clear water marks appearing even on the mountain ground. Under "Perception," the void was still filled with a hazy water mist. It was as if countless fine, tiny water bubbles were completely filling every part of Lone Sound Cliff.

Not just Lone Sound Cliff!

Xu Xiaoshou's "Perception" expanded, and he instantly saw that similar conditions to those on Lone Sound Cliff had appeared even near the fleeing trial officials and stowaways. Each one was enveloped in water vapor. Each one was dripping with sweat. Yet at this moment, both sides, focused on "escaping" and "chasing," had still barely noticed the strange phenomenon occurring!

"Yu Lingdi?"

This name popped into Xu Xiaoshou's mind. It must be said, having been tormented by water-element abilities before, a psychological shadow had formed in his mind.

As he thought this, the next second, Xu Xiaoshou saw one of the women being pursued by the trial officials. Unable to shake them off for the moment, she changed her escape direction and dashed directly towards the sea of clouds in Lone Sound Cliff.

Golden Foot now utterly detested the short spatial-attribute expert who had used her as a human shield. But there was no doubt that the opponent's tactic had succeeded; she was forced to become one of the targets to divert firepower for others. She had originally not intended to run towards the sea of clouds in Lone Sound Cliff. Everyone present was above the Sovereign Dao Realm and implicitly possessed spiritual perception, able to sense an unknown terror hidden within Lone Sound Cliff. Therefore, everyone, whether consciously or unconsciously, avoided the sea of clouds in Lone Sound Cliff when making their moves.

But at this moment, Golden Foot had nowhere left to run. If she had been assassinating someone first, and failed in one strike, she would have had countless ways to retreat. However, at this moment, the team pursuing her included two Tai Xu experts, several Cleaving Dao experts, and dozens of Sovereign Dao Realm experts. Golden Foot admitted that no matter how arrogant she usually was, she would never provoke such a team, so she naturally lacked sufficient experience to deal with them. She could also discern the identity of the leader: Granny Tianling.

"'Nowhere to escape,' she thought. 'Might as well try that direction; perhaps the unknown can counter this inescapable trap!'"

After Golden Foot made up her mind, she decisively ran towards the sea of clouds in the cliff. She had personally witnessed that young sword cultivator, wanting to commit suicide out of shame and indignation, dive headfirst into the bottom of Lone Sound Cliff and completely vanish from her Tai Xu spiritual perception.

"I can also use this to escape..."

This thought had not yet fully formed when the speed of a Tai Xu expert had already propelled Golden Foot beyond the boundaries of Lone Sound Cliff and into the sky above the sea of clouds.

"Boom!"

A dazzling light suddenly flashed and vanished. Unlike Gu Qingyi and Gu Qing'er's method of entering the cliff without spiritual energy, which wouldn't trigger the forbidden-spell barrier's attack, during Golden Foot's dash, her entire body surged with spiritual energy. Her fate was the same as Murong Ying and Shouye's: she was directly swallowed by the dazzling light, unable to put up any resistance, and plummeted straight down.

"Ah—"

The scream terrified her pursuers.

Granny Tianling, at the critical moment, timely halted her steps and landed at the edge of Lone Sound Cliff. Her momentum even caused the rocks beneath her feet to shatter and crumble down to the bottom of the cliff.

"What?"

Granny Tianling was bewildered. She was scared by the dazzling light. She could vaguely sense a hint of the terror within Lone Sound Cliff. But no one had ever imagined that the horror within could completely engulf a Tai Xu expert without even giving them time to react or defend!

"This is too dangerous, this is too dangerous..."

"This merit for capturing people, even if it's monstrous, this old woman doesn't want it!"

Granny Tianling subconsciously reached out, wiped a handful of sweat from her forehead, then flicked her hand, wanting to leave the place.

"Drip, drip, drip..."

It was as if she had flung out a ladle of water! Even the liquid dripping from her clothes now made splashing sounds on the mountain ground by the cliff!

Granny Tianling: ???

"When did I sweat so much?"

She was completely stunned. After she reacted, she looked herself up and down, only then seeing her entire body thoroughly soaked with water vapor and feeling the weight of her clothes, which was more than double their usual weight.

"Clatter..."

No matter how stable a killer's disposition usually was, at this moment, Granny Tianling was so terrified by the unknown horror that her teeth chattered slightly. She sharply turned around, and her expression drastically changed.

Behind her, dozens of law enforcement officials who had landed with her, regardless of their Dao Realm or Cleaving Dao Realm, all looked at her with horrified expressions, seemingly astonished at why she was sweating so much. —And each of them looked as if they had just been pulled from the water, yet they were completely unaware!

A gasp escaped Granny Tianling's lips as goosebumps instantly prickled her skin; a chill shot up from the soles of her feet, straight to the top of her head.

"Damn it all!" she cursed angrily. "To hell with this cursed mission! Being alive is more important than anything!"

She was about to jump up and leave this area, but when Granny Tianling exerted force, she was horrified to discover that her feet were completely unable to move.

"You, you, you, b-below..."

The dozens of law enforcement officials in front of her, with identical terrified gestures, pointed at their own feet, trying to warn her.

Granny Tianling lowered her head. Her feet, as if entangled by water weeds after drowning, were now firmly held by two ghostly hands emerging from the water stains on the ground.

"Get away from me!"

Granny Tianling was scared out of her wits, and her entire body's spiritual energy burst forth. However, as her spiritual energy stirred in her qi-sea, she felt her entire body's strength spiral out of control, and blood surged to the back of her heart. Then, from behind her, unseen by everyone, a blood-water hand suddenly extended from Granny Tianling's lower back, gripped her nape, and fiercely tugged her towards the bottom of Lone Sound Cliff.

"Ah—"