Chapter 1666: Beautiful Spirit Dao Mad Master, Corpse Descends Human Skin Strange Frequency Arises

Dao Qiongcang emerged from a pool of blood like a lotus blooming from water. After using a comb to remove the viscous fluid from his body, he greedily inhaled a deep breath of the Holy Divine Continent's long-missed air, his face showing pure ecstasy. "Ah," he sighed, "Delicious air."

With a flick of his wrist, he condensed the decaying Heavenly Machine Puppet behind him, crushing it into a blood-soaked ball of cloth, which he then tossed forward.

"Brat, stop!" Xiao Wanfeng nearly split from fright. He swore he wasn't a coward, but when that lump of blood-soaked flesh was hurled at him by the "evil god," he still stumbled, almost collapsing to the ground.

"Let me go!" Xiao Wanfeng was on the verge of tears; he truly had nothing of value. Simultaneously, he cried out in his heart, "Xuan Cang, save me!"

The "flesh ball" struck Xiao Wanfeng's buttocks. Though the sensation wasn't actually fleshy, Xiao Wanfeng jumped up clutching his rear, as if bitten by a leopard. "Don't mess around!" he yelled.

His chest felt tight, and his neck felt constricted. Xiao Wanfeng, who had leaped high, couldn't make it out of the alley to blend into the bustling street. Before his feet even touched the ground, he was lifted into the air.

He gazed at the sunlight spilling just within reach, while he himself remained in the deep shadows of the alley. This immense sense of loss, being only half a step away from success, strongly assailed Xiao Wanfeng's soul.

"Senior..." His shoulders slumped, he tremblingly turned his head. Surprisingly, the "evil god" behind him, after removing the mucus, actually gave off a sense of approachability. He wasn't fierce; on the contrary, his eyes were bright, his skin clean, and he had a noble appearance.

"I think I've seen him somewhere..." Xiao Wanfeng paused, then quickly recalled: a stick-figure portrait of this person was printed on Young Master Xu's spirit crystal card! It was Dao Hall Master!

"Dao Hall Master," Xiao Wanfeng sighed deeply, "we have no past grievances and no recent enmity. Why are you hounding me, a mere mortal?"

"The Southern Domain is truly wonderful!" Dao Qiongcang mused. He absolutely loved this place. Everything about the Southern Domain was good, but its best feature was that if he showed his true face here, no one would mistake him for Dao Qiongcang. This was something impossible in the other four domains; the Southern Domain had its own unique magic.

And now, looking at this unexpected "surprise" on his first return to the continent, Dao Qiongcang entered a state of contemplation. In the past, he would have at most given this youth a quick glance before immediately questioning why Xuan Cang hadn't returned home. No matter what happened, it would be impossible for Xuan Cang to return to the Holy Divine Hall; he would have to be brought into the Heavenly Machine Divine Sect.

Now it was different. The situation was completely new. With such examples as Xu Xiaoshou and Cao Erzhu, Dao Qiongcang meticulously and thoroughly observed the youth from head to toe.

"He's quite handsome, though his clothes are a bit thin, and he's a little too lean..." Dao Qiongcang muttered to himself. "Sixteen years old, no spiritual energy, yet highly regarded by Xuan Cang..."

His gaze shifted behind him; the crowd was bustling, but no one paid attention to this spot. Only the First Spectator Stand was still lively. He understood.

Dao Qiongcang put the youth down, smoothed his clothes, patted him, leaned slightly, and smiled gently. "What's your name?" he asked."Zhou Yong," the youth replied.

"Are you an ancient sword cultivator?""A mortal.""I also have a mortal certificate," Dao Qiongcang said, casually pulling out an identical red leather-bound certificate. "Do I look like a mortal to you?"*You look like a criminal to me...* Xiao Wanfeng silently shook his head.

"What's your name?""Xiao Wanfeng.""You are an ancient sword cultivator.""Yes."

"Don't lie in the future. Children shouldn't learn such things," Dao Qiongcang said. He pulled out a folded piece of paper from who-knows-where, slipped it into Xiao Wanfeng's hand, and then gestured behind him. Xiao Wanfeng clutched the paper, hesitated, then obediently handed over the sword case.

A little terrifying... It wasn't that this person used any special abilities or spiritual skills. Rather, he used nothing at all, just repeated two sentences, and that invisible pressure made people afraid to breathe. Xiao Wanfeng even felt that this person might be the *real* Dao Hall Master!

*Click.* When the wooden case opened, there was indeed no sword inside. Nor were there any mechanisms, like a button to conceal the sword, or arrays to evade the spiritual perception of a Spiritual Refiner. Dao Qiongcang was an expert at such things; he wouldn't be fooled by a mere child.

"Look, you look too," Dao Qiongcang said, gesturing for Xiao Wanfeng to open the paper. "Don't be nervous, I'm a good person." Dao Qiongcang then checked the sword case six more times. After marking it, he didn't return it but instead put it into his spatial ring. What he could see, others could also see; since this sword case had contained Xuan Cang, it couldn't reappear in the world. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a brand new, identical wooden case, with the same level of wear and even the same scratches, and placed it next to Xiao Wanfeng.

"What kind of method..." Xiao Wanfeng's eyes widened in horror. He had never seen anyone like this. Surely, this person didn't carry a large number of identical sword cases, with one just happening to match? Since that was impossible, it meant he'd looked at it twice and then recreated an identical one... That was even stranger! What normal person carries so much ordinary wood?

With the paper half-opened and his mind elsewhere, Xiao Wanfeng couldn't help but ask, "Are you a carpenter?""A Heavenly Machine Artificer. Isn't it normal to have some craftsmanship?" Dao Qiongcang smiled. "Your deliberately asking won't make me think you're a fool."Xiao Wanfeng opened his mouth, speechless.

Xiao Wanfeng did have some worldly experience and had indeed harbored a "deliberate" intention, knowing that people always let their guard down when dealing with fools. Unfortunately, the person in front of him wasn't fooled..."Of course, I won't consider this a sign of your cunning," Dao Qiongcang scoffed. "You seem to be an ancient sword cultivator with a flexible mind, not bound by rigidity, who will live a long time and not encounter many obstacles—completely different from the truly rotten wood I've seen."

The paper opened, and a gust of wind blew it away. Xiao Wanfeng shivered violently, snapped back to reality, and bent down to grab the paper before it hit the ground. He had indeed intended that if this small trick were seen through, the other party would then underestimate someone who used such tricks, but it didn't work... Clutching the paper tightly, Xiao Wanfeng awkwardly ducked his head. "I'm sorry... uh, Senior, you flatter me..."

Dao Qiongcang's gaze followed the paper's flight and return. "Your subconscious reaction is also good," he observed. "If you practice, your combat awareness will be excellent."Xiao Wanfeng's eyelids twitched violently. From start to finish, from the paper being folded to being opened, he hadn't been able to see its contents even once. He only felt as if he was forcibly controlled on the spot, stripped naked and intensely studied from all angles. Who exactly was this person? Xiao Wanfeng even felt that the other party could clearly see the Xuan Cang Divine Sword, one of the Five Chaos Divine Artifacts, embedded within his body!

"Look, why are you flustered?" Dao Qiongcang gestured with his eyes towards the paper in Xiao Wanfeng's hand. "If you're going to play little tricks, be prepared to be exposed. Practice more, and you won't panic. In this regard, you've lost to a certain piece of good wood I've seen."Xiao Wanfeng wanted to speak but hesitated, finally taking a deep breath. He came to a conclusion: the more he spoke, the more mistakes he'd make; fewer words, fewer mistakes; no words, no mistakes. He lowered his gaze to look.

The paper bore a black, white, and gray drawing. It seemed to depict many people, but it was upside down. Xiao Wanfeng turned it right side up..."Shit!"With just one glance, he jumped back in fright, nearly throwing the thing in his hand. He swore he wasn't a crude person, but since encountering this Heavenly Machine Artificer, he had sworn twice. The paper depicted "Lord Shou"! No, strictly speaking, it was "Xu Deyie," a scene from the Heavenly Net Battle in Eastern Heavenly King City.

What was the Heavenly Net Battle? It was a minor competition to gain qualifications for the King City trial. Others might forget it, but Xiao Wanfeng couldn't. In that battle, he had suppressed and broken through Grandmaster Sword Intent, and also won his first championship, though Young Master Xu had yielded it to him.

"What's going on?" Xiao Wanfeng's mind was a mess. No one would deliberately remember such minor competitions. What's more, Young Master Xu took up the most space in the drawing, grinning widely and laughing mischievously at the entire picture, while Xiao Wanfeng, though the champion, was merely background. He was only the size of a mung bean, his figure very blurry, and his facial features barely discernible even with close inspection.

"This person..." Xiao Wanfeng looked at the middle-aged man in front of him hesitantly, his mind teeming with schemes. He clutched the paper, not even daring to glance at himself in the drawing, fearing that this "detail freak" might notice something more.

"Do you know him?" Dao Qiongcang had just asked. Before Xiao Wanfeng could answer, he heard a string of questions thrown out: "Who is he? Who are you? What's your relationship? Who am I, and why do I have this drawing? If you stall, will I resort to force? If I resort to force, will you erupt?""Blah blah blah, too trivial..." Dao Qiongcang dismissed. "These are meaningless questions; asking and answering them are all nonsense. Xiao Wanfeng, let's skip the pleasantries, your wishful thinking, and the process of us becoming intimate, and just become good friends!"

Dao Qiongcang opened his arms, as if embracing a beautiful, fast-paced life, and said directly, "I only have two questions: Is Xuan Cang choosing you related to Xu Xiaoshou?"

This one day was more shocking than Xiao Wanfeng's entire sixteen years. He couldn't help but swallow, his eyes wide with revelation; he had never seen anyone like this before—this person took an extreme path, similar to Lord Shou but also opposite!"No," he answered.

He dared not resist anything. He would say whatever came to mind, only hoping that after the person finished questioning him, he would let him go as he implied. *Uh, he hadn't actually mentioned letting him go, but that's how it felt...*

"No lying, okay?" Dao Qiongcang said, pointing to himself. Though he said nothing, Xiao Wanfeng understood his meaning: *I didn't torture you for a confession, so you should be honest and kind.*

"Absolutely no lying!" Xiao Wanfeng was terrified and raised his hand to swear an oath."This shows a lack of trust..." Dao Qiongcang said, smiling as he pressed Xiao Wanfeng's hand down. He embraced the sky and continued with hope in his eyes, "A truly beautiful world is a harmonious world where people trust each other."

*He's so crazy...* Xiao Wanfeng became even more nervous. He wasn't afraid of bad people or villains, but someone with such a "great illness" who went insane was absolutely terrifying!

"Second question," Dao Qiongcang said, quickly composing himself. He emotionlessly extended two fingers. "Do you know Ba Zun'an?"

Xiao Wanfeng was about to shake his head."Think carefully before you answer."Xiao Wanfeng shook his head firmly. "I know of him, but he doesn't know me. I haven't met the Eighth Sword Immortal; I've only heard his stories and never had any direct contact with him..." He rambled on, not even knowing what he was saying.

Dao Qiongcang's face merely held a smile, his eyes crinkling as he watched the youth's red lips opening and closing. He didn't hear the rest of the words at all, but the flesh on his face seemed to pile up, as if pushing "benevolence" from the depths of his heart. The world suddenly became bright; warm, gentle sunlight gradually crept from outside the alley, lazily resting on the youth's shoulders and head, like an orange kitten.

Just right! Suitable! Apropos!Xiao Wanfeng didn't know when he had stopped his rambling, realizing he had fallen into a self-incriminating trap of "I don't know Ba Zun'an." But this trap, which had caught him, contained no hidden weapons to harm him; instead, it was the strange, benevolent motherly smile on the other's face that made his heart pound.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Xiao Wanfeng asked, his rear tightening in unease.Dao Qiongcang suppressed his smile, knowing that staring at someone like that was overly intense. As if to compensate, he pulled a ring from his finger."I don't want it!" Xiao Wanfeng exclaimed, greatly alarmed.

He had already rejected a spatial ring and a gold ring. Now he pulls out a Heavenly Machine Star-Patterned Ring, what does that mean?"Take it, it's a good thing," Dao Qiongcang said, his cheek muscles bunched up, as he forcefully placed the ring into Xiao Wanfeng's hand.

Xiao Wanfeng wanted to push it back but dared not, wanted to throw it away but dared not, wanted to cry but dared not."Put it on, it looks good," Dao Qiongcang said, smiling as he took the ring and placed it on Xiao Wanfeng's middle finger, whose face was filled with sorrow.*Wuwuwu!**Good thing it was just the middle finger! He, he, he, what exactly does he want? Young Master Xu, save me...*

"This is a Heavenly Machine Ring; it doesn't require spiritual energy," Dao Qiongcang explained, raising his eyebrows and gesturing for Xiao Wanfeng to try. "I custom-made it for you; it's linked to your thoughts... Just think about it, and it will open."*I don't want to open it...* Xiao Wanfeng thought, tears in his eyes, and immediately felt a space appear in his mind.

It was a square, gray-black space, roughly large enough to fit a large bed, a wardrobe, and a dressing table. But at the moment, there was nothing inside. Only the ceiling... The star-studded ceiling, sparkling with stars in the dark, was breathtakingly beautiful. For a moment, Xiao Wanfeng even forgot to cry."So beautiful!" he gasped.

It wasn't just aesthetic beauty. Even if Xiao Wanfeng was experiencing spatial equipment for the first time and was somewhat shocked, he wouldn't be won over by just a star ceiling. The beauty he felt referred to the inexplicable tranquility that washed over him the moment his consciousness entered this space. All his chaotic thoughts quieted, the ownerless Holy Power nourished him, and the Dao rhythm surged around him; he nearly entered a state of enlightenment."What kind of method?!" Xiao Wanfeng was terrified.

*This must be a peerless blessed land, refined into a star-patterned ring and given to me! Why would he do this? What does he want from me? I can change! I'd rather die than marry you, okay? Giving me a ring won't work; I already have someone I like!*

Countless excuses flashed through Xiao Wanfeng's mind, but before he could speak, the crazy middle-aged man had already squatted on the ground, drawing many large circles."The Sword Division, do you like it?" he asked. "You become the head of the Sword Division, dedicate yourself to your favorite cultivation world without hiding anything, and I'll provide you with resources. Let's turn the world into a huge Sword Division! We'll become ancient sword cultivators together, cultivate to be the strongest, and step on Ba Zun'an and Xu Xiaoshou! And them..."

This fellow, who knew not how many life stimuli he had endured, continued to speak and draw, pointing towards the First Spectator Stand."What sword immortals?" he scoffed. "All nonsense! Once we work together and succeed in cultivation, we'll directly reshape a beautiful ancient sword cultivator world!"

*The ancient sword cultivator world isn't beautiful; your mental state is very beautiful...* Xiao Wanfeng was dumbfounded. He then saw the crazy middle-aged man excitedly stand up, press his hands on Xiao Wanfeng's shoulders, and yell, "Xuan Cang, pull it out!"Xiao Wanfeng, startled, pulled out the Xuan Cang Divine Sword and slashed, aiming to catch the man off guard.

Just then, a golden light flashed, and the middle-aged man actually pulled out a large golden sword, crossing it and slapping it against Xuan Cang. He turned sideways, stood shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Wanfeng, then, with their backs to the world and facing the alley, he shouted loudly, "Two swords combined, invincible under heaven!"

The sunlight poured down, outlining two figures, one tall and one short. Young Xiao Wanfeng's mouth twitched as he silently recalled the Xuan Cang Divine Sword into his body, his heart filled only with shock. First, he was shocked by this guy's madness! Second, he was shocked that this madman had pulled out the Wrath Immortal Buddha Sword! Third, he was shocked by the information revealed in the man's recent words: he truly was the unfathomable Dao Hall Master!

"But..." Xiao Wanfeng's worldview shattered, and he still couldn't believe it. How could the profound, awe-inspiring figure in his mind, who sat above the clouds and could conjure clouds and rain with a flip of his hand, be like this?*This isn't right. I'm dreaming. I must be insane!*

Encountering Dao Hall Master on the road, Dao Hall Master giving him a ring, them holding swords, pressing backs to each other, and shouting "invincible under heaven" to the world... Xiao Wanfeng wouldn't dare to dream such a crazy thing, but reality was actually this insane?

"Sorry, I scared you," Dao Hall Master said. At some point, he had returned to his dignified appearance, and emotionlessly recalled the Wrath Immortal Buddha Sword.

Xiao Wanfeng had a thousand words he wanted to say. The unfathomable, mad Dao Hall Master raised a finger to his lips. "You don't have to agree to my crazy talk about being the head of the Sword Division," he said. "And you don't need to pay attention to my nonsense about stepping on Ba Zun'an, Xu Xiaoshou, and others. I won't take your Xuan Cang Divine Sword either, and you can forget about our meeting today. As for the ring..."

He shook his head. "And there's no need to refuse my goodwill. This ring can help you grow better, and at least it can store some daily necessities, right?"Xiao Wanfeng desperately wanted to refuse! What he hated most right now was why, after sixteen years, he still hadn't learned to refuse others!

Dao Qiongcang continued to shake his head. "Just think of yourself as a 'thousand-mile horse,' and I am merely an ordinary judge of horses," he said. "Forget about today's events. I won't seek any reward from you, because this ring is insignificant to me."He paused, then the middle-aged man became very passionate, clenching his fist and waving it fiercely. "Go do your thing, young man!" he declared. "What Rao Yaoyao failed to achieve even in death, you have accomplished. Your future is promising!"

Xiao Wanfeng fell completely silent. He seemed to have lost the ability to speak, even the desire to talk had been destroyed.

Suddenly, Dao Qiongcang's expression changed. He cried out, "Oh no!" and turned to run. But the moment he moved, a spatial ring leaped from his embrace and shattered with a *snap*. Immediately, a collapsing vortex formed, and strangeness began to brew within it... A shriveled human skin emerged!