Chapter 365 - Retreat
Xin Gugu felt like he was going mad.
His initial impression of Xu Xiaoshou was that he was a weird young man with a thought process that was different from everyone else. Thus, it made him stand out from the crowd.
Now, however, Xu Xiaoshou had completely refreshed his worldview.
Despite being at the Innate stage, he had the audacity to pretend that he was someone else in front of these powerful Sovereigns.
He may have suppressed them with the sword technique, but Xin Gugu was aware that it was his trump card.
The technique had drained Xu Xiaoshou of all the energy and mana in his body. It had used up all that was needed for the trump card.
Yet, in this weakened state such, he continued to stand in front of Xin Gugu and Aje to defend them.
He was no longer a courageous man but a complete lunatic.
There was no doubt about that.
Xin Gugu had felt a sense of curiosity arose within him. Xu Xiaoshou may have been a lunatic, but with reference to the statements he proclaimed and the impact he had made…
“Can you really not use that technique anymore, Xu Xiaoshou?”
There was no reply. Zhang Taiying remained silent as well.
One breath.
Another breath.
“I already have the answers.”
Xu Xiaoshou smiled sarcastically. He lifted his chin and looked at the others with a slightly elevated angle as if he was taking pity on the most pathetic individuals in this world.
He turned around and waved his hands.
“Let’s go!”
“Ma Ma…” Aje mumbled. His red eyes had a dull glow as he followed Xu Xiaoshou.
Watching Xu Xiaoshou’s brave and nonchalant back view, Xin Gugu felt a raging ocean of respect in his heart.
He looked back to Zhang Taiying, whose face was so dark that it could be used as writing ink.
His gaze shifted to the two great Sovereigns behind him.
Humiliation was overflowing from the eyes of the woman. As for the old man, he seemed to be the only one who maintained a normal attitude on this battlefield.
‘No!’
‘Those who can maintain an attitude in this time must already have been changed psychologically.’
Xin Gugu lifted his lip corners.
He wanted to control his urge to laugh, but it proved far too strong to be held back.
“Hahaha!”
The feeling was gratifying.
It was immensely gratifying.
He learned that the real battle that brought satisfaction and happiness was not finishing the opponent in one strike.
The real satisfaction of the battle came from the feeling when one could no longer attack, but the opponent remained afraid to move.
It was no longer just about the squabble during the battle. The opponent thoroughly loathed them from their body to the heart, and even to their soul.
As he looked at the constipated faces of the three people, Xin Gugu’s heart felt as light as a feather like it could soar like a bird.
“Let’s go!”
After all, he was a chaotic Sovereign. He had let himself be free after he had learned that the three people before him were terrified of making a move.
He swung his robe sleeve with gusto and pride before he rushed to catch up with Xu Xiaoshou.
“Amazing!”
“You know Xu Xiaoshou, I’m difficult to convince and impress. Even that hag Jiao Tangtang did not impress me much.”
“But I am so impressed by you today!”
He spoke with great carefreeness as he reached out to pat Xu Xiaoshou’s shoulders.
Regarding the battle, Xu Xiaoshou had made defense preparations beforehand.
Even if the enemy had seen through his devices and tactics, he knew they would forget the fact that he had other plans around him that would ruin their scheme to attack.
Upon hearing a solid hitting sound, Aje turned around.
It reached out and caught Xin Gugu’s palm before his hand could land.
It postured itself as if to say, “Oh Ma Ma, do you think you can hit a ghost beast host body?”
The sudden movement caught Xin Gugu off guard. He immediately understood that he might have knocked Xu Xiaoshou to his knees with his palm. He awkwardly and silently retracted his hand.
After they had walked about a mile, the three people behind them had made no sounds or movements.
“Don’t bother looking anymore.”
Xu Xiaoshou heaved out a mouth of foul air and said, “They didn’t take the first step. Hence, they would not have the courage to take another step, even if they were not thinking straight.”
Xu Xiaoshou continued to spit out his breaths.
Xin Gugu shook his head. He was utterly impressed by Xu Xiaoshou.
The man was a complete genius in terms of applying his cognitive abilities on the battlefield.
“Say, that sword technique just now, how did you do it?”
“And the explosion in the Eastern Courtyard earlier… Did you really do that with an alchemy explosion?”
“Also, the last thing you said, can you really do the sword technique again?”
“…”
Questions were filling Xin Gugu’s mind. He was certain he would not be able to sleep that night if the questions remain unanswered.
Xu Xiaoshou’s eyelids jumped. He also wanted to keep up his strong front.
Unfortunately, after they had been out of range and clear of danger, and he could relax without worries, he found it almost impossible to regain his strength.
With a thud, he collapsed onto the ground.
Aje reacted quickly. Reaching out, it grabbed onto Xu Xiaoshou and carried him up in a bridal style.
“Is he dead?”
Xin Gugu was stunned. He lowered himself to give Xu Xiaoshou a sniff. He realized his presence was incredibly stable, so it was impossible for him to be dead. Rather, his presence seemed extremely weak.
“Is he asleep?”
His eyes widened as he felt the vigorous ripples of life force surging within Xu Xiaoshou’s body.
If the young man was not so tired that he could not keep himself awake, it would be hard to believe that this was the same young man who looked as if every strength had been taken from him.
‘Is this man a human?’
‘It looks like he didn’t burn any power at all with that sword technique. Was it all mental stress?’
‘Therefore, what he said at the end was not a lie. In fact, there was honestly in that. He can use the technique again.’
Xin Gugu was moved deeply by this discovery.
He recalled the scruffy-looking man. Xu Xiaoshou was no simple character if he had been chosen and protected by someone like him.
‘Sword…’
Truthfully, Xin Gugu did not have much knowledge about swords and their techniques.
He was born and raised in the Xu Yue Grey Palace of the Southern Region. Therefore, he did not have any correlation with anyone in the Northern Region.
He had heard about the existence of a famous entity amongst the swordsmen, the Seven Sword Deity.
There was another addition who could barely be called half a deity but had been elevated by the common man through legends and myths to the near sainthood, the Eighth Sword Deity.
‘Who was that scruffy-looking man?’
Xin Gugu did not believe that Xu Xiaoshou, who was at the Innate Stage of cultivation, would be able to execute a technique of this level. There had to be some form of external assistance from an outsider.
In terms of outsiders, the only suspect was that man.
He knew that man was strong, but he doubted he was on the same stage as the sword deities in the legends.
However, Xu Xiaoshou’s sword technique was something entirely separate from ordinary swordsmen in its conceptualization.
This technique would have proved unachievable for swordsmen of the Sovereign Stage.
‘He let this rascal execute such a frightening sword technique, but the man himself seemed rather powerless.’
The irony was clouding Xin Gugu’s mind.
In fear that there might be others tailing them, Xin Gugu could not afford to indulge in his thoughts any longer. He guided Aje toward a dark area to conceal themselves.
…
“It’s over.”
The City Lord Mansion had paid close attention to the night’s battle, along with everyone else who was looking up in respect and fear on Dong Qing Street.
Fu Xing walked with his hands behind his back. He turned to look at Liu Qing. His expression remained dignified.
“Has father not returned?”
Liu Qing nodded. “He’s still in the back garden researching his new crystals. Even when the City Lord Mansion was attacked, he didn’t budge to look.”
“Tonight’s events were unexpected. We can’t expect him to move around.”
Fu Xing felt a tinge of headache and held his hand to his forehead.
Someone at his age should have been moving around freely and enjoying his life as a bachelor of a rich and powerful household.
However, his father remained deeply embedded in his obsession with the spiritual array and neglected his duties. He had no choice but to carry a portion of the household’s burdens.
He was Master Stage but required to tend to issues dealt with by a Sovereign Stage. Truth to be told, he felt that he had too much on his plate.
“What about the Holy Divine Palace? Any updates?” he asked.
A battle between the Sovereigns was a violation of the Holy Law, so the White-clothed of the Holy Divine Palace would be called upon to suppress the battle.
Liu Qing smiled lightly and replied, “I’m afraid that they no longer care about Tiansang City anymore.”
“Oh?” Fu Xing was puzzled. “How so?”
Liu Qing stepped forward imposingly. Her gaze locked onto the dust in the skyline that had yet to settle.
“The uncontrolled growth of the White Cave sword will have already birthed four swords. This has confirmed the worsening situation.”
“Because of that, almost everyone found it difficult to hold on or hold up. Even if the extradimensional cracks had not been opened, there were already individuals smuggling themselves in.”
“The Red-clothed of the Holy Divine Palace had not been activated yet. Regarding the White-clothed, they had already sent six batches over.”
Fu Xing asked in shock, “Six batches?”
The number was unthinkable under normal circumstances.
The White-clothed of the Holy Divine Palace usually moved in batches. Perhaps a better term was group. These groups ranged in size from five as the least amount and 10 on the larger end.
All of them were individuals of the Sovereign Stage.
“Yes.”
Liu Qing nodded and replied with a smile, “Aside from White Cave, by sheer estimation, the Sovereigns eliminated at the present would be at least a two-digit number.”
