Chapter 2059: Self-Inflicted Injury

“Alright, Cuiyin… my lord.”

Xu Xiaoshou quickly composed himself. It was a time to put people to good use; teasing could wait. He pointed to the tail connecting them, adopting a serious expression for business: “Cuiyin, you must have realized that my Path-Seizing Tentacle isn’t fundamentally for saving people.”

“Hmph!” Little Cuiyin’s face was cold, but he couldn’t be bothered to argue over such trivial titles with this fellow. “Path seizing.”

“Exactly, path seizing.”

Inside the Exalted Slash space, the respect given was for the Ancestral God’s reputation built in life. In reality, Xu Xiaoshou could have simply forced his way if he wished. He didn't do so, still giving Cuiyin some consideration:

“Time is of the essence, Cuiyin. I need to seize your remaining Arts Path to understand how much is left, so I can formulate the next course of action.”

“But rest assured, my ‘path seizing’ is different from the conventional meaning of ‘path seizing’. I merely draw upon your insights; it won’t cause your demise. ‘Path borrowing’ would be a more fitting term.”

Cuiyin fell silent, secretly wondering if Xu Xiaoshou’s rapid progress was due to this Path-Seizing Tentacle.

Xu Xiaoshou pointed to the Battle Ancestor, who was still roaring with laughter in the first trigram position. He then opened the external view of the Huayao War, sharing it with Cuiyin, and said:

“I have ‘borrowed’ the Battle Path from the Battle Ancestor to help me cultivate the River of Body Path, and then borrowed the Spirit Path from Hua Changdeng to help me cultivate the River of Spirit Path.”

“The fact that both of them are still alive is the most compelling proof. Cuiyin, you should be able to tell that I bear no ill will.”

Cuiyin, from the perspective of a resurrected being, once again witnessed the world’s changes after his demise. He hadn’t expected that the Medicine Ancestor was also about to follow in his footsteps. He had long understood the general power of the Path-Seizing Tentacle and naturally knew Xu Xiaoshou wasn’t lying. If he wanted, he could even replicate seventy percent of this Path-Seizing Tentacle technique. The only thing he couldn't do was forge an Ancestral God's Dharma Idol through the original true stele.

“Come on!”

He knew his own condition. Cuiyin was all too aware that Xu Xiaoshou was truly going to be disappointed this time, as there wasn't much of the Arts Path left within him. The only thing still useful was his "Myriad Transformations Self."

“My apologies.”

Xu Xiaoshou apologized, but his actions were anything but polite. Through the Path-Seizing Tentacle, he directly plundered Cuiyin's past memories and Arts Path insights. Compared to what he had gained from the Battle Ancestor previously, this was truly insignificant; very few things would be useful in a divine war.

“Disappointed?”

The plunder was so swift it was over in a blink, and Xu Xiaoshou had processed everything. Noticing the slight pallor on the man's face, Cuiyin scoffed, stating proudly:

“You’ve already forged a wisp of my Myriad Transformations Self, yet you’re still chasing Arts Path insights and Cuiyin’s forbidden techniques.”

“Xu Xiaoshou, I can only say you’re missing the forest for the trees.”

Xu Xiaoshou lowered his head, looking at the small child in front of him. The little fellow took small steps, pacing and chuckling, his tone brimming with confidence, completely disregarding Sheng Xin:

“What Sheng Xin obtained was merely Cuiyin’s past insights and techniques.”

“But your Path-Seizing Tentacle, if Cuiyin isn’t mistaken, should be able to obtain my current insights in real-time through ‘connection’, right?”

Xu Xiaoshou’s brows twitched; he vaguely understood Cuiyin’s meaning: “That’s right.”

“Then isn’t that good?” Cuiyin clapped his six hands, spreading them out together. “What is Cuiyin thinking right now?”

He didn’t form any hand seals. There wasn’t even a trace of the Arts Path flowing on him. He was like an ordinary little child, standing amidst a surging crowd, with a simple thought flashing through his mind. Nothing more!

But through the Path-Seizing Tentacle, Xu Xiaoshou was able to instantly capture Cuiyin’s current thought:

“Art carries destiny, incantation is the heart’s key; paths connect to form arrays, pillars establish to open the gates of ruin; the mind’s gate holds 129,600 forbidden techniques; they accumulate when still, erupt when active, bursting like a flood, gushing like a waterfall, defeating myriad paths, swallowing the vast cosmos.”

“This is the ‘Grand Feast of Art Hounds’.”

That was actually the origin of Cuiyin’s forbidden technique, the Grand Feast of Art Hounds! Not only the mental cultivation formula and incantations, but also how to set it up, how to initiate it, and how to apply it were all clear. Based on his own super-path of arts, a thought from Cuiyin’s side would allow Xu Xiaoshou to immediately unleash it, without any delay.

“This…”

Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes lit up; he completely understood Cuiyin’s meaning. Is the Arts Path strong? Of course it is! Therefore, Sheng Xin, who seized seventy percent of the Arts Path, would also be very strong! But even if Sheng Xin seized a hundred percent of the Arts Path, would he be stronger than Cuiyin, the creator of the Arts Path, in its application? The answer, of course, is no!

And he only needed to connect with Cuiyin via the Path-Seizing Tentacle. During battle, he could bring Cuiyin along, instantly comprehending uncrackable techniques, and allowing Cuiyin to visualize solutions for intractable situations, which he could then cast. This was equivalent to an external brain, specifically Cuiyin’s full-power Arts Path brain!

If Sheng Xin dared to cast a technique before him, he’d be caught completely off guard… A full-strength Xu Xiaoshou, paired with a Myriad Transformations Self Cuiyin brain, would be equivalent to the emergence of a complete Zero-State Cuiyin, capable of casting any technique. For Sheng Xin to attempt using arts against him would undoubtedly make him a clown.

“Understood?”

Little Cuiyin lifted his three chins, his eyes filled with pride.

“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!”

Xu Xiaoshou couldn’t stop clapping repeatedly. This little Cuiyin child became more adorable the more he looked, the kind you couldn’t put down. He yearned to pick him up and give him a little kiss, but then he remembered that this fellow was essentially an adult, and decided against it.

“If Sheng Xin dares to show his face, I’ll make sure he never returns,” Cuiyin said with a powerful flick of his hand, his voice still childlike. Indeed, allied with Xu Xiaoshou at this moment, with Cuiyin serving Xu Xiaoshou, it no longer constituted an equal relationship. Yet the outcome remained exactly as Cuiyin had foreseen: the Xu-Cuiyin alliance would be invincible, and all the Ancestors combined would still face utter defeat.

“Then, according to Cuiyin’s esteemed opinion, after taking my punch under the Blood Demon Reversal of Fate Art, how severe are Sheng Xin’s injuries, and where should he go from here?” Xu Xiaoshou smoothly continued, showering him with flattery.

Cuiyin was silent for a moment. When that mad dog’s punch landed, his consciousness had already been fully refined by Sheng Xin, so he felt nothing. Now, having reformed a wisp of his Myriad Transformations Self through the original true stele, he realized how terrifying Xu Xiaoshou’s destructive power was. Had it not been for the Blood Demon Reversal of Fate Art, Sheng Xin would have been finished on the spot; there was no other possibility.

Cuiyin no longer wanted to recall how miserably he died, and he directly asserted:

“The Blood Demon Reversal of Fate Art is essentially just a transaction with luck, exchanging sacrifice for amplification, and it has a time limit.”

“This is the act of a brute, no different from the Battle Ancestor’s various martial forms. The cost is irreversible, and it doesn’t even touch upon the slightest subtlety of art; fundamentally, it cannot even be called an ‘art’.”

“You and I don’t need to pursue him at all. Sheng Xin will naturally resurface before long.”

Sheng Xin’s astonishing technique, in Cuiyin’s words, was no different from roadside trash. However, after a pause, Cuiyin changed his tone:

“However, having borrowed billions of years of accumulated ingenuity, Sheng Xin should actually have been able to withstand your punch head-on.”

“The fact that he didn’t do so means he has a grander scheme.”

The little child paced back and forth, pondering as he spoke:

“Before he seized my Arts Path, there should have been only one way: to resist head-on. But when your punch landed, Sheng Xin had already obtained seventy percent of the Arts Path.”

“Art lies in deception. At least from Cuiyin’s perspective, at that time, Sheng Xin had many ways to avoid your punch, preserve more strength, and await an opportunity to return.”

Xu Xiaoshou’s brow lifted. Was there truly a discovery?

“How so?” He waited for the explanation.

Cuiyin spoke again: “The simplest way is the Tomb of Returning Consciousness. Do you remember?”

The Tomb of Returning Consciousness? A memory flashed through Xu Xiaoshou’s mind: the battle against Ai Cangsheng, where Cuiyin used the power of various evil cultivators in the Southern Domain to condense consciousness and forcibly revive. That move, pulling the rug out from under him, had utterly sealed Ai Cangsheng’s fate, for after that, Ai Cangsheng would either die by Xu Xiaoshou’s hand or by Cuiyin’s.

“You mean, Sheng Xin will also, like you then, borrow from various evil cultivators… no, borrow from the spiritual refiners of various paths in the Apricot World, using the demonic thoughts in others’ minds as a basis to condense his true self and return?”

Cuiyin was astonished. This fellow was a little too clever. He had only hinted at it, without even a chance to explain further, and Xu Xiaoshou had deduced everything?

“Precisely, the Apricot World!”

But communicating with a clever person was very satisfying. Little Cuiyin nodded three times and continued:

“Sheng Xin has been inside your Apricot World. Perhaps leaving a mark on you is difficult, but leaving a contingency on the spiritual refiners of various paths is too simple.”

“And if he intended to use the Tomb of Returning Consciousness from the beginning, then under your punch, he would likely have actively disintegrated himself and fled his consciousness into the spiritual refiners of various paths in the Apricot World before realizing he couldn’t withstand it.”

“Only by doing so could he maximally preserve the power of the Blood Demon Reversal of Fate Art, saving it for his comeback.”

Sheng Xin is in the Apricot World! Xu Xiaoshou’s heart quickened. He felt there was at least a sixty percent chance this was true. He didn't even need to verify it with Dao Qiongcang; after hearing it, even he thought this was Cuiyin's best method of self-preservation. But at this moment, if he were to appear in the Apricot World again, it would be too much like “beating the grass to scare the snake.”

Xu Xiaoshou calmed himself: “So?”

Cuiyin was surprised again. This fellow was too calm. An ordinary person, learning their backyard had been infiltrated, would probably rush back immediately to find the culprit. This guy wasn’t old, yet his actions were extremely seasoned, directly seeking the solution... One Dao Qiongcang was enough to cause headaches. Xu Xiaoshou was also so cunning. From this perspective, his early demise and elimination, while not “deserved,” could certainly be considered “not unjust”!

“But the people of the Apricot World, I’m afraid you won’t be able to protect them.” Cuiyin sneered, pouring cold water on Xu Xiaoshou. Yes, Cuiyin was petty, unable to stand seeing others do well. Xu Xiaoshou also had to pay some price, which Cuiyin was happy to see, even though there were devout Arts Path followers among the Apricot World’s inhabitants.

“No, not the Apricot World’s inhabitants.”

The cold water failed to sting Xu Xiaoshou. He was already in contemplation, muttering softly to himself:

“Cutting off the Apricot World’s inhabitants would at most sever a part of my Path of Renown, cutting off my endurance, but it absolutely cannot kill me.”

“Sheng Xin isn’t stupid, and his ambition couldn’t possibly be just this. Otherwise, he would have likely died before you.”

Cuiyin: “…”

“Pushing further, having gained seventy percent of your Arts Path and possibly over half the power of the Blood Demon Reversal of Fate Art, yet with limited time, Sheng Xin must aim for the ultimate goal of winning everything.”

“Therefore, he won’t erupt in the Apricot World, settling for meager gains. He must be greedier, wanting more, at least enough power to rival my punch.”

“If not power, then he must obtain more great paths, like refining your Arts Path, and then dabbling in others.”

Cuiyin: “…”

Although Xu Xiaoshou’s reasoning process was repeatedly insulting. But after hearing these muttered words, Cuiyin was truly astonished. This fellow reacted too quickly. One moment it was “Xu Xiaoshou’s” thinking, and following his own line of thought, it transformed into the psychology of “Art Demon Sheng Xin.” And in this situation, he had roughly figured out Sheng Xin’s possible course of action, almost perfectly aligning with Cuiyin’s own guesses.

“Sheng Xin seized Cuiyin’s Spirit Extraction and Possession Art.”

Seeing the young man’s thoughts slightly stuck, Cuiyin offered another hint. Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes suddenly cleared. He turned directly to look at the Huayao War outside, his words filled with absolute certainty:

“Spirit Extraction and Possession, the art of seizing paths.”

“Plus the billion-year accumulated luck and power of the Blood Demon Reversal of Fate Art, unlike your weakness then, Sheng Xin can completely force a path seizure, as long as…”

His voice became firm. Cuiyin secretly curled his lips, his heart full of unspoken complaints. But he could only nod silently, following Xu Xiaoshou’s thoughts and gaze towards the outside, his tone filled with thinly veiled admiration and approval:

“You’ve thought correctly. When Shennong Baicao is on the verge of collapse, Sheng Xin will undoubtedly surface.”

“He has only this one path left to take.”

“Hua Changdeng, return!”

On the Sacred Divine Continent, Hua Changdeng was fiercely battling the Medicine Ancestor, enjoying the fight, and paused, startled by the voice. Why go back? His River of Spirit Path, though powerful on its own, couldn’t compare to the Medicine Ancestor’s twin Rivers of Life and Samsara Paths. But the Medicine Ancestor was in too poor a state, first restricted by Dao Qiongcang, then having his dragon body shattered by the Battle Ancestor, now left with only remnant spirit and will. The Sword Ghost’s three swords, primarily led by the spirit ghost, were currently tearing the Medicine Ancestor to shreds, almost dragging his state to its lowest point.

Hua Changdeng had calculated clearly. His own power was limited; he could only hold back until the end to unleash one powerful strike. After eradicating the Medicine Ancestor’s true spirit, his vengeance would be satisfied, and he would then disintegrate, returning to the Exalted Slash space to reform. And what would be left for Xu Xiaoshou would be merely an insignificant remnant will. The Medicine Ancestor’s remnant will against Xu Xiaoshou’s Sea of Will Path. If Xu Xiaoshou could lose that, Hua Changdeng would be the first to jump out and chop him.

But the plan was seventy percent complete, still lacking the final sword strike. The Medicine Ancestor was merely restricted, not completely crippled. Yet, from his end, he was suddenly being ordered to return? Was Xu Xiaoshou mad? From the bottom of his heart, Hua Changdeng didn’t want to accept this order. But bound by the Path-Seizing Tentacle, Hua Changdeng found himself unable to resist Xu Xiaoshou’s commands. Yet, he could maneuver around it!

Before Hua Changdeng was forcibly recalled, he preemptively unleashed his final sword, directly detonating the entire River of Spirit Path and unreservedly unfolding the Profound Gate behind him.

“Fengdu Severing Spirit Sword…”

A figure descended from the sky, hovering in the void. He positioned himself directly between Hua Changdeng and the Medicine Ancestor, also manifesting a River of Spirit Path beneath his feet. With one arm raised, his gaze was cold, and his tone was unyielding:

“I said, return!”

Hua Changdeng’s face hardened, still wanting to forcibly unleash his sword. But with a pull from the silver-white tentacles in front of him, he could only, with a heart full of reluctance, be dragged back into the Exalted Slash space.

“Master Shou?”

The spectators in the Apricot World, however, erupted in a clamor. The Huayao War, a fierce and relentless battle, was initially expected to end with at least one death or severe injury, similar to the Battle Ancestor’s fate. Unexpectedly, it concluded with Master Shou’s arrival. And Hua Changdeng was even driven away with a forceful, commanding tone. Didn’t that mean…

“Hua Changdeng was summoned by Master Shou?”

“Then the Battle Ancestor before was also Master Shou’s person, or was it him transformed?”

“They all have that silver-white tentacle, so the ‘Cui’ character has actually fallen into Master Shou’s hands? But why didn’t he let Hua Changdeng deliver the final sword strike?”

“Yeah, that sword had even opened the Profound Gate; it was probably the ultimate song of the Ghost Sword Art. I wanted to observe it myself…”

The spectators in the various reception cities were completely bewildered. Let alone these outsiders, even the Medicine Ancestor, at the center of the battle, who had been dragged to the point where he couldn’t even enter the River of Samsara and could only struggle to parry swords throughout the entire match, was also dumbfounded. Why? He also couldn’t understand.

However, this didn’t prevent one from realizing that an opportunity had arisen! If Xu Xiaoshou and Hua Changdeng had an internal conflict, then he would have an opportunity to escape into the River of Samsara.

“Go!”

With the River of Samsara unfurled, the Medicine Ancestor unceremoniously plunged into it. This scene directly made the Apricot World spectators anxious; they wished they could rush up and help Master Shou capture him, but they were powerless.

“So that’s it…”

Zero, outside the game, or rather Dao Qiongcang within Zero, instantly understood everything after Xu Xiaoshou appeared.

“Art… remnant… possession…”

Dao Qiongcang, controlling Zero, quietly moved away. At the same time, he mourned for Shennong Baicao in his heart. Sometimes, success seems only a step away, but after taking that step, one realizes it doesn’t lead to success, but to death.

“Xu Xiaoshou, even if you revive the Battle Ancestor and Hua Changdeng, what can you do to me?”

Within the River of Samsara, Shennong Baicao, who had dragged on for so long, having preemptively sealed Bei Huai’s movements, and finally entered the river as desired, burst into wild laughter. In his laughter, there was regret, unwillingness, triumph, and relief…

It’s done! Finally done!

Although he didn’t know why Xu Xiaoshou had stopped Hua Changdeng at the end, now that he had entered the River of Samsara, he would be reborn as a Samsara Dao embryo. When they met again, it would be a million years later. That would be the moment for me, Shennong Baicao, when my Sea of Life and Sea of Samsara, and my Great Path, would be complete. The only pity was that in this round, he hadn’t managed to gain any benefits from the Path of Memory, the Path of Arts, or the Path of Thought…

“As long as the green mountains remain, there’s no need to worry about firewood!”

Shennong Baicao completely immersed himself in the River of Samsara, slowly closing his eyes, awaiting his own decomposition and reincarnation.

Yet, the moment he closed his eyes, the River of Samsara suddenly emanated a bloody hue, tainted with a hint of decay and withered power. It was as if clear river water had been polluted by something filthy. In the blink of an eye, the entire river was assailed by Blood Demon power, completely controlled by corrupted luck.

“What?!”

Shennong Baicao, who had just split himself within the river, utterly defenseless, suddenly awoke in shock. What his remaining consciousness saw was that the entire world was covered by Blood Demon power; even his various selves, poised for reincarnation and cultivation, were tainted with a decaying aura.

“Sheng Xin?”

“No! Sheng Xin, how dare you! No!”

At this moment, immense despair enveloped him. Shennong Baicao went completely mad, his voice tearing: “Sheng Xin, you who cut off others’ paths to life, may you die a terrible death!”

Rumble… His consciousness thundered like lightning as waves of Blood Demon power surged in. Accompanying it was a decisive and cold shout:

“Forbidden: Spirit Extraction and Possession!”

“It’s so quiet…”

The dilapidated Sacred Divine Continent, desolate as far as the eye could see, possessed a chaotic beauty. Xu Xiaoshou, who had just driven back Hua Ancestor, looked around. His eyes showed no fighting spirit, only sighs, filled with a deep… attachment to this world? He took a deep breath, looked up at the shattered blue sky and white clouds, and then slowly closed his eyes. A single tear slid from the corner of his eye, a truly pitiful sight.

“Oh vast heavens, why are you so unkind to me…”

What the hell? What was this act now? The Apricot World spectators were dumbfounded. The River of Samsara over there had turned blood-red; no one understood what was happening, and they were waiting for Master Shou to explain. But what happened? After you drove back Hua Ancestor, you didn’t make a move, but instead indulged in melancholy and nostalgia here, looking like you were about to die? Are you insane?!

Just then, Master Shou suddenly turned around. Facing the bloody river in the distance, he pressed two fingers together, then slid his fingertips downwards. He had just formed one of Cuiyin’s hand seals, when his body instantly shattered into dust, and various powers vanished, sacrificed… suicide?

“Forbidden: Spirit Extraction and Possession!”