2052 Self-Destruct Sequence, Initiated! (1)

"Whew..."

Atop the head of the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon, Xu Xiaoshou's consciousness returned, and he let out a long, relieved breath.

Exhausted!

So incredibly exhausted!

Managing multiple tasks with just one mind, including plotting against Rao Yaoyao and Yan Wuse, as well as unraveling the Divine Oracle while remaining vigilant against any potential schemes from Hallmaster Dao, rendered this battle far more draining than all his previous battles combined.

Not only did his body suffer from the backlash of Mountains and Seas Converge, but his mind was also drained beyond measure.

The only two things worth celebrating were that nothing unexpected had occurred, and the injuries were sustained by his second true body, having little impact on Xu Xiaoshou himself.

As his consciousness fully returned, the pain dissipated, leaving behind only a lingering mental fatigue, and a sense of detachment from reality.

Gazing down at the Fallen Abyss, even more devastated than the First Hall of Sins, and breathing in the post-battle air that was far from fresh, Xu Xiaoshou reveled in the temporary respite. He could not help but sigh, saying:

"Peaceful times..."

However, he had to bring his focus back.

After controlling the Heart Sword Technique to subdue the two Saints, shattering Yan Wuse with a burst of energy and severing Rao Yaoyao's arm with the Fourth Sword, Xu Xiaoshou had pushed himself to his limits.

But even this was just catching his enemies off guard.

It was akin to how he had defeated Number Two through Situ Yongren and then through Yu Lingdi at the First Hall of Sins.

Once Situ Yongren and Yu Lingdi were out of the picture, Number Two would have been unstoppable, and Xu Xiaoshou would have been seconds away from defeat.

At this point, it was highly unlikely that Master Siren would step in to save him.

Likewise, if Yan and Rao regained their composure and stopped focusing on the searing Dark Iron Sword, but instead targeted the Divine Oracle and his second true body inside, it would mean losing the upper hand, and Xu Xiaoshou would have no chance of winning.

If his earlier consciousness inside the Divine Oracle had been driven by the desire to play around, now, upon learning of the Blood World Pearl's presence in the Arena, Xu Xiaoshou became calm.

"The root of calamity, the guidance of death..."

This had completely obliterated the First Hall of Sins, the Ghost City of the Netherworld, and the Fallen Abyss. It also disintegrated other parts of Abyss Island and inadvertently caused the downfall of several demi-saints.

Xu Xiaoshou could not afford to be reckless anymore.

After his consciousness returned, his goal had already been achieved...

"Mystery Boxes!"

He raised his hand, and a Divine Box appeared in it.

This was sent to him by his second true body through a simple spatial teleportation after the consciousness transfer.

Yan Wuse was shattered, Rao Yaoyao had lost an arm, and her body was still exploding, hence there was no one to stop this little move.

Xu Xiaoshou had successfully obtained the Divine Instrument!

"Precious dragon, protect me for a moment. If another fight breaks out, try not to harm Abyss Island intentionally. That way, you shouldn't be banished or killed by the rules."

Xu Xiaoshou had already figured out the rules of Abyss Island.

"Very well."

Surprisingly, the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon did not say much.

Normally, it would have made a few haughty remarks or complained about something.

At the very least, it would have mumbled that it could not intervene anymore.

But now, after Xu Xiaoshou's strategic maneuvers with the Divine Oracle had defeated the two Saints, it was subdued!

Just like all the spectators on Abyss Island and the ghost beasts from the world beyond the mirror, the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon could not comprehend Xu Xiaoshou anymore—his thought process, his plans, the hidden trump card he held, and how much more he had in store.

Not understanding was best for now—less questioning and more action. This was the best way to win favor.

Above the dragon's head, without paying any attention to the reaction of the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon, Xu Xiaoshou took advantage of the enemy's weakened state and stepped onto the Art of Spiritual Array Disc without hesitation, initiating an analysis of the Mystery Boxes.

"Another nested Divine Array..."

The intricate and complex arrays inscribed within the Mystery Boxes numbered not in the millions but perhaps seventy to eighty thousand. Just a single glance overwhelmed Xu Xiaoshou.

He did not have much energy to spare for deciphering this intricate puzzle, but he had no choice. It was a matter of life and death.

With his full concentration, he quickly deciphered the Mystery Boxes.

"Based on the Divine Secret but perfectly adapted to the rules of Abyss Island, emphasizing the 'hidden' path... Dao Qiongcang must have deeply studied the rules of Abyss Island. Yes, his name is engraved on the Void Suppression Stele; he has been here."

"It operated on the same principles to my 'stealth,' or one might say, quite similar to the Vanishing Technique."

"But the Mystery Boxes erase one's aura, making it unrecognizable by the Path Principles of Abyss Island, without erasing one's form. The Vanishing Technique is a complete disappearance..."

In reality, the quality of this particular Mystery Boxes was not very high.

Of course, this low quality was relative to the Weaving Expertise of Holy Emperor Lv. 0.

For someone like Situ Yongren, it could take him a couple of months to decipher – assuming he had never studied Mystery Boxes before.

Considering how quickly Xu Xiaoshou had managed to unravel the Divine Oracle during the battle, how could he possibly fail to decipher the Mystery Boxes?

Being able to decipher it naturally meant that, without affecting the overall situation, he could fine-tune the Divine Path Principles within the Mystery Boxes.

Just as he had partially adjusted the functions of the Divine Oracle during the battle, making it perceive him as Situ Yongren or Dao Qiongcang, thereby gaining more privileges.

"There are indeed identity verification procedures in here, and not just one."

Xu Xiaoshou extended an incredibly subtle spirit thread from his fingertip, invisible to the naked eye, and wove the "wrong" Divine Path Principles within the Mystery Boxes.

This process did not take much time at all.