Chapter 1684: Two Worlds Together Welcome You, Changes Over Time Shift Affections

Of course, I want Mo Mo.

But Dao Qiongcang likewise cannot be ignored. Without a doubt, this guy is incredibly intelligent.

During their lightning-fast exchange, Xu Xiaoshou had secretly activated "Thought Stripping" the entire time; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to seize the initiative repeatedly. With it active, he indeed uncovered a shocking secret!

Xu Xiaoshou panicked for a moment when "Thought Stripping" accidentally picked up "beep beep beep" and "alarm alarm" sounds from his opponent's brain. He suspected the flamboyant old Taoist also had a system. Indeed, how could one person be so clever, almost infallible in their calculations? Even when pushed to the brink, his thought "I awaken in chaos" gave the impression that he was about to switch from a strategist to a brute. Was that possible? No, it wasn't!

But if he had a "Heaven's Mystery System" in his mind, everything suddenly made sense. Yet, as he continued to strip thoughts, Xu Xiaoshou realized something was off. The flamboyant old Taoist didn't actually have a system; those "beep" sounds, triggered by the effect, were merely the passive operation of his Heaven's Mystery Art. Grand Memory Art? Grand Anomaly Art? Heaven's Mystery Calculations? A Heaven's Mystery System? This guy didn't have a system, but he had created a system-like existence for himself!

When he discovered this, cold sweat trickled down Xu Xiaoshou's back. He even considered turning back to the Relic of the Gods, cultivating for another thirty years before emerging. Absurd! Was this the mind of a Ten Honorable?

But soon, he felt fortunate that he had come to find Mo Mo as soon as he noticed something was wrong. If he had waited another half-day or a day, until Dao Qiongcang had finished his current tasks and then turned his attention to Mo Mo... Mo Mo might still have been reclaimable. But at that point, would Mo Mo truly still be Mo Mo?

Xu Xiaoshou was even more thankful for the decision he had made from the very beginning, right after using the Receiving God's Descent technique: "Dao Qiongcang is undoubtedly brilliant. Even though my Thought Stripping and Blade Wielder of Calamity are powerful, once I use them against him, they'll likely only work the first time. If I try a second time, he'll probably have a counter-measure, as evidenced by his 'Isolated from the World' ability."

With this understanding established, he was fine facing people like Wei Feng, but against Dao Qiongcang, he had to exhaust his Ancestral Heaven power to maintain Thought Stripping. At the same time, he maximized the power of the Intention Dao Disk, the "Winding Guidance," and even the "Swallowing Mountains and Rivers" aura, striving to create the effect of the "Blood World Pearl." His goal was to prevent Dao Qiongcang from noticing that he was affected by "Thought Stripping" too quickly, thus allowing him to better uncover some of his secrets.

Three times! Under such a full-on invisible assault, Dao Qiongcang still detected "something strange" a full three times. The first two times, Xu Xiaoshou successfully bluffed his way through, diverting his thoughts elsewhere. This third time... it was when Dao Qiongcang had finished his deep contemplation, bowed his head in a seemingly repentant manner, and respectfully uttered phrases like "Master Shou" and "Your Excellency."

Xu Xiaoshou subconsciously relaxed his guard a tiny bit. Thought Stripping then picked up a long sigh: "It's just Mo Mo, Master Shou; you could have handled this yourself. Why did you bring him along?" Dao Qiongcang's tone regarding this "him" was very wary. Without even needing to think, Xu Xiaoshou immediately linked it to "Ba Zun'an." Combined with Dao Qiongcang's action of looking up and behind Xu Xiaoshou after speaking, Xu Xiaoshou's attention was drawn, and his spiritual sense swept backward. At that point, he knew he was in trouble.

The info bar alerted "Guided," but it was too late... Realizing that the last sentence wasn't a spiritual sense transmission but Dao Qiongcang's mental sigh, it was too late... His spiritual sense spotted an unremarkable "handshake" pattern behind him, with no sign of Ba Zun'an. Just as Xu Xiaoshou was about to say something to make amends, it was too late... Thought Stripping conveyed Dao Qiongcang's few remaining thoughts: "Beep beep beep!" "Alarm! Alarm!" "Stop calling out; they already know someone's listening. Why are you still blabbering?"

After that, all sounds of Heaven's Mystery calculations vanished from Thought Stripping. Xu Xiaoshou couldn't even strip a single thought from Dao Qiongcang. The last thing he heard was Xiao Qi's voice: "Second Brain, activating."

"Mo Mo?" The subtle battle unfolding in the shadows was invisible to the Five Regions. Everyone in front of the Preaching Mirror, seeing the Hall Master Dao truly bow to Master Shou and even pull out a soul fragment that looked like a "person," all pounced forward like bears scenting honey, their eyes burning with intense curiosity.

"It's not 'momo' or 'momo' (silent), but Mo Mo!""Amazing! It's a person's name, and it sounds like a cute girl!""So, Master Shou made such a grand entrance this time, suddenly traveling from the Central Region to the Southern Region, all for her?""Oh oh oh!""Is it to reclaim her soul fragment from the Hall Master Dao?""Oh oh oh!""Dao Sect Pass, Master Shou is revered?""Oh oh oh!"

Like apes howling endlessly from both banks, the spectators in front of the Preaching Mirror, who seemed to thrive on chaos, became utterly thrilled. This was truly extraordinary; since Master Shou's rise to prominence, there had been few rumors about his romantic life in the martial world. The girl closest to him was just his junior sister, Lei Xi'er. But they were too close! Some were optimistic about it, others were not. Later, it was rumored that his junior sister was an anomalous being, capable of shapeshifting, which sounded quite terrifying, so not many people were optimistic about that relationship. Now, a completely unfamiliar name suddenly emerged, yet it angered Master Shou and made him confront Hall Master Dao head-on. This was a divine descent! What is a divine descent? A divine descent represents justice!

"What's the point of all that fighting and killing? This is good, I want to watch this!""Feng Tiantian, quick, explain! We don't know who Mo Mo is, but you surely do, right?""Hiccup—"

Feng Tiantian had already crashed. She was battered by the aftermath of the battlefield, covered in injuries after crashing through the Forest of Mists. Her survival was largely due to the residual medicinal power from Sword Immortal Wuyue's God's Blessing pill. But her waist, bent from enduring an entire broadcast, finally broke when she heard Hall Master Dao utter the name "Mo Mo."

"Mo... Mo..." Others might not know who Mo Mo was, but how could Feng Tiantian not? When she learned about Xu Xiaoshou, started wanting to understand him, and even tried to approach him... What was the first step? Of course, it was to start with the women around Xu Xiaoshou!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." A nearly shattered Feng Tiantian rummaged through her spatial ring, pulling out a large stack of documents. One portrait after another was grabbed and then discarded, papers rustling as they flew. She was completely unaware that she had accidentally exposed half of her body in front of the Preaching Mirror, and the direction the papers flew was directly towards the Five Regions. As a result, people across the Five Regions pressed their faces against the mirror's image, seeing beautiful portraits of women and reading the names written on them: "Su Qianqian, Mu Zixi, Jiao Tangtang, Rao Yinyin, Yu Zhiwen, Di Xin'er, Rao Yaoyao, Anomaly..."

The Five Regions erupted in an uproar. So Master Shou was such a playboy? He had secretly been in contact with so many girls behind everyone's backs? "Wait, who's Rao Yaoyao? Didn't Sword Immortal Rao die by Master Shou's sword? How is this even possible?" "Who is Di Xin'er? I've never heard of her!" "Hold on, am I seeing things... Anomaly?" Everyone seemed to be witnessing a moment of shattered dreams, a collapse of their idol's image. The more beautiful the faces in the flying portraits were, the more they highlighted the contorted expression of the half-exposed girl in front of the mirror, who was physically and emotionally bruised.

Until a half-body portrait of a woman, dressed in a snow-white gown, with a serene expression and the graceful aura of a hidden orchid in a quiet valley, drifted into view. At a fleeting glance, the Five Regions collectively held their breath. Not because the woman's features in the portrait were stunning, but because the name written on it was "Mo Mo."

With a crumpled sound, Mo Mo's portrait was snatched back by Feng Tiantian. "No..." "It's not..." "It shouldn't be like this..." The woman in the painting had her face slightly turned, her gaze tranquil as water, giving off a contradictory feeling of being curious yet unwilling to approach, thus keeping people at a distance. She was beautiful. In fact, taken individually, her features weren't the most perfect. Compared to other women who had appeared in the previous portraits, such as Lei Xi'er, Yu Zhiwen, or Rao Yaoyao, there was still some gap. However, her unique features, combined together, gave her an aura completely different from other girls.

She was like a solitary figure. She seemed to always shrink into her own world, appearing indifferent to everything within her sight. She was like a porcelain vase, not the most exquisite, but with unique textures. If it remained hidden in a corner, unnoticed, that would be fine. But the crucial point was, she was now suspended in mid-air... For those who couldn't see her, they would ignore her and let her shatter. But once noticed... What could be more perfect than a unique and exquisite porcelain vase? Of course, it was her, on the verge of shattering!

Feng Tiantian had never imagined that one day she would glean such new insights, so much meaning, from a portrait she had initially overlooked at first glance. "It shouldn't be!" Her hands trembled, her eyes blurred with tears. She grabbed again at the pile on the ground, pulling out a portrait of Yu Zhiwen — this was the one she cared about most!

"This isn't right..." "Impossible..." "How could this be?" She was completely unaware that her murmurs were amplified for all to hear in the Five Regions. She tossed Yu Zhiwen aside, looked back at Mo Mo, and suddenly realized: "No, she's not that good-looking! She didn't look like this before..."

The Five Regions fell silent. It was hard to comment. But Feng Tiantian was very serious. She pulled another portrait from the stack in her hand, revealing yet another Mo Mo. This Mo Mo was even more ordinary, depicted in a distant perspective. In the painting, she also wore a white dress, held a small copper furnace, and her youthful demeanor lacked distinct aura, making her look like an ordinary passerby from afar.

"This, this is the real Mo Mo!" The Five Regions froze once more. Indeed, it was difficult to comment. How to put it? Did jealousy make people ugly? They were all spirit refiners; they knew full well. As cultivation levels increased and impurities were removed from the body, people naturally grew more attractive. Except for those who practiced special cultivation techniques. If Feng Tiantian were to speak that way, Master Shou wasn't this handsome before, and he was even more than a head shorter than he was now! Who doesn't have a past? Even taking a step back, even without spirit refining, women undergo many changes as they grow. How could a simple sketch from one's past, depicting their awkward and uncertain youth, define their future after they've chosen their path and decided to shine brightly?

"I, I..." As soon as Feng Tiantian spoke, she seemed to realize that she was behaving rather ungracefully. But she couldn't control herself. She felt so unfamiliar with this version of herself. She couldn't accept the "truth" she was seeing and had come to believe; her thoughts churned like a raging sea: "I, I think I've forgotten how to speak... Wuwuwu!"

Not even a single sound could be heard anymore. Dao Qiongcang's thought fluctuations had become stagnant after his so-called "Second Brain" activated. Xu Xiaoshou immediately realized that Thought Stripping might no longer work on this terrifying individual who could "create his own system." But it was enough! In just this short half an hour, he had understood Dao Qiongcang more thoroughly than in months or even years past. This second awakening was an insane gain.

"The Way of Memory can be used like this?" "Self-made passive abilities, self-made spiritual awakenings, self-made a Heaven's Mystery Sprite Xiao Qi, and even self-made a 'Second Brain'..." With a rough thought, Xu Xiaoshou understood what the Second Brain was. Dao Qiongcang's true body must still be here, but he had ceased thinking, allowing another brain, perhaps in the Western or Northern Regions, to do the thinking. This way, he could directly halt the prying of all powerful "mind-reading-like" spiritual techniques, especially those with distance limitations. This approach was as imaginative as using remote human proxies to block Bei Huai's sadness ability, yet it was very practical. "Another me in the world..."

Xu Xiaoshou sighed with emotion, feeling a hint of admiration for a worthy opponent. Looking at Mo Mo's soul fragment in Dao Qiongcang's hand, he didn't actively reach out to take it. Because he couldn't guarantee that Dao Qiongcang, after realizing he had been "mind-read," wouldn't collapse in humiliation and give up, as he had after being affected by the Receiving God's Descent technique. He therefore chose a conservative approach, retreating to advance, waiting for Dao Qiongcang to proactively return Mo Mo.

Evidently, after discovering the existence of Thought Stripping, Dao Qiongcang, no matter how composed he appeared, couldn't remain entirely calm. He must have been recalling how much he had just revealed, and for a long time, he didn't hand over Mo Mo. The Five Regions were unaware of the many things secretly transpiring on Majestic Peak. They only heard the highly peculiar conversation between Xu and Dao, the two men, after the name of the woman, Mo Mo, was mentioned.

Dao: "I didn't expect you to be waiting for me here."Xu: "I also didn't expect that you had successfully schemed against me."Dao: "We agreed you'd name a person, and I'd hand them over. How is that a scheme?"Xu: "Then thank you; thanks to you, I've comprehended the true meaning of 'circumvention.'"

With Hall Master Dao's silence, the first round ended. The people of the Five Regions scratched their heads and ears, feeling utterly perplexed as they listened. "Too disjointed!" Four sentences, yet they seemed to convey more than four things. Was this how masters conversed? "I don't understand at all!" The Preaching Mirror was broadcasting directly, and they were speaking openly, yet not a single person understood what they meant.

"'The true meaning of 'circumvention'..." Until a Xiantian-level master stood up: "I get it! Master Shou took a long detour, bypassed all the passersby in his life, and finally found his true love—Mo Mo!"

On Majestic Peak, after a brief silence, the second round quickly began.Dao: "So there definitely is a distance limit, right?"Xu: "It can exist, or not, depending on whether I want to affect you."Dao: "I've left, but you didn't pursue. This time, your lack of pursuit means you'll never catch me, never understand me."Xu: "Perhaps. Interpret it as you will."Dao: "Admit it, Xu Xiaoshou, you're just pretending now. You no longer dare to respond to my thoughts. You're afraid!"Xu: "I don't care about any of that; I just want her."

The second round stalled. Hall Master Dao fell silent again. Meanwhile, Master Shou's finger pointed remotely at the soul fragment in Hall Master Dao's hand. "Whoa!" The Five Regions completely erupted. If the last time no one understood, this time anyone could.

"Good heavens! What did I just hear? Is this really something we're allowed to hear?" Someone boldly stood up, their face etched with fanaticism. "Let me process this. 'Distance limit'... Yes, there must be a distance limit. For me, a long-distance relationship wouldn't work; it consumes too many spirit crystals." "But Master Shou's attitude is cold; he hasn't even 'moved' him. So Hall Master Dao is the one making advances to someone uninterested? Wow!" "It's over, it's a tragedy. Hall Master Dao said Master Shou would never catch him, nor understand his heart. He doesn't understand his heart." "What about Mo Mo? What's going on with her? Is she a latecomer, or an innocent party? Did Master Shou move on because of her... hmm, how should I put this? I'm a bit confused." "But Hall Master Dao was previously hunting Xu Xiaoshou across the entire continent! They were enemies, and even fought in Qingyuan Mountain. How could he... fall in love with him?" "Heavens! Don't be so direct! What if we're wrong? Sugarcoat it, sugarcoat it, understand?" "Hmm, a forbidden romance?" "Get out of here!"

In front of the Preaching Mirror, Feng Tiantian's eyes were dazed, and her entire body trembled. Compared to the unacceptable fact that Xu Xiaoshou chose Mo Mo, the fact that Xu Xiaoshou had already had a "past" with Hall Master Dao was simply terrifying!

"I must be insane." "Yes, they must be normal. It's my thoughts that are unhealthy." "But given what was just said, what healthy interpretation could there be, besides an unhealthy one?" Feng Tiantian shivered, deciding to mentally purge Xu Xiaoshou from her mind. He wasn't worth it. Indeed, ancient sword arts were better; at least, ancient sword arts would never shatter dreams or betray oneself.

"Sword Immortal Wuyue..." "Oh, right, help everyone find Sword Immortal Wuyue. Where is he? He's... here!" The Preaching Mirror searched for a moment, and soon Gou Wuyue's figure appeared in the eyes of the world. He had already returned, standing not far from the Majestic Peak battlefield, still clutching the Voice of Nulan. But clearly, his body had been stiff for a while, his face full of shock, doubt, collapse, incomprehension... so desperate it seemed as if rigor mortis might set in at any moment! Feng Tiantian felt she couldn't understand Xu and Dao, but at this moment, she understood Elder Wuyue. She murmured silently: "Elder Wei Feng, it's truly not worth it..."

On Majestic Peak, the final round of their exchange began. This time, it didn't start with Hall Master Dao; Master Shou made the first move.

"My Dao, come and help me. Aigou needs your stimulation... I think he already knows you're here.""Xu Xiaoshou, here's Mo Mo back to you. Stop talking." Hall Master Dao seemed to glance at the Preaching Mirror, unsure if he realized their recent conversation had caused much speculation. In any case, he now acted as if avoiding a plague, not even calling him "Master Shou," seemingly shunning any past intimacy they might have shared.

He handed over the soul fragment, and Master Shou accepted it. But Master Shou was greedy. Evidently, Mo Mo alone wasn't enough to satisfy him; he still wanted to "win back" Hall Master Dao.

"My Dao, if you don't come, I will suffer a crushing defeat.""Xu Xiaoshou, shut up!""My Dao, Aigou has run out of patience with me; he plans to set a trap to kill me. Can you bear to see me abandoned to my death?""Master Shou, our relationship doesn't seem that intimate, does it?""Alright, alright, Dao Qiongcang, you really changed completely as soon as you left the Relic of the Gods. Your heart has changed, and you've forgotten the happy times we fought side-by-side!"

Dao Qiongcang glanced at the Preaching Mirror, saw Feng Tiantian's wide, bulging eyes, and knew he was in trouble. He simply walked away. Disregarding even Gou Wuyue, he was about to leave the Xuyue Gray Palace by himself. This fellow, Xu Xiaoshou, wanted to drag him down. He had malicious intentions; after reading his mind, he still wanted to smear the Heaven's Mystery Divine Cult.

But with a turn of spatial profundity, Dao Qiongcang took a step, yet remained in place, and Xu Xiaoshou opposite him spoke again. "Dao Qiongcang, you're quite tsundere, aren't you? You'll help me, won't you?" Dao Qiongcang trembled, not daring to speak. Now, with the Five Regions watching, speaking was wrong, and not speaking was also wrong. The Preaching Mirror, it turned out, was still Xu Xiaoshou's open scheme. How utterly infuriating!

"Gou Wuyue, cut him down!" Feng Tiantian's Preaching Mirror shifted, and when the image appeared, Gou Wuyue pursed his lips, stepped back half a pace, and shook his head bitterly. His gaze... "So resentful!" Feng Tiantian exclaimed, as if some shackles had broken, narrating loudly, "There's a feeling of being deceived, of being let down..."

With a whoosh, Gou Wuyue vanished. Feng Tiantian shivered in fright. After describing that look, she had the illusion that someone was about to kill her. But did it matter? Not at all! Current Feng Tiantian felt absolutely nothing! She felt she had already died once. Let whatever happen, happen. If she no longer loved Xu Xiaoshou, what was there to fear? The Preaching Mirror returned its view to Majestic Peak. Feng Tiantian discovered that dedicating oneself wholeheartedly to broadcasting could also be very enjoyable—was this the joy that Feng Zhongzui enjoyed? She now held the reputation of two Ten Honorables in her hands!

"Xu Xiaoshou is still trying to keep Dao Qiongcang, but Dao Qiongcang doesn't want to talk at all. He pouts, showing he has no intention of engaging with Xu Xiaoshou..." "Xu Xiaoshou is utterly shameless, grabbing Dao Qiongcang's hand—eep! Dao Qiongcang wants to escape, spatial profundity deployed again..." "Dao Qiongcang just committed suicide on the spot! Is it really that terrifying? Is this 'love'? Hahahahaha, I get it, I get it... 'One without love crosses the river, unburdened by worldly affairs.'"

In front of the world watching through the Preaching Mirror, Feng Tiantian actually closed her eyes, and Dao rhythm energy surged around her. Too crazy! The Five Regions were utterly astonished to the point of madness. The situation was already so complex and chaotic, yet someone could still sit cross-legged and achieve enlightenment? A Feng family member, truly something! In the final round of their exchange, Master Shou provided so much information that no one had yet been able to digest it all.

And just as the people of the Five Regions were dumbfounded, Master Shou in the Preaching Mirror waved remotely at the vanished figure of Hall Master Dao in the distant sky: "You'll help me." "You definitely will help me. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"

Everyone was shocked by this relationship—so profound that they couldn't tell if it was friendship, love, or kinship, or something distorted. With a flash, Master Shou appeared next to Feng Tiantian, who was in the midst of enlightenment, having traveled from the distant Majestic Peak.

"He said." He startled the people of the Five Regions, then leaned in, pressing his face against the mirror, and spoke in a profound tone: "No need to worry. Should you leave this Relic of the Gods and find yourself in dire straits, no matter who your opponent is, I, Dao Qiongcang, will personally rush to your aid." "Until mountains crumble, and heaven and earth merge, only then will I part from you."