Chapter 2398: The Holy Emperor’s True Body Bound (2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Don’t worry, she can’t sense you here anymore, but Senior Qilin will definitely be able to.”

Xu Xiaoshou reassured with a smile before scanning the surroundings.

“I’m sure you recognized this friend of mine, Senior.”

“Exactly, it brought me here to see you. Last time, it sensed your presence here.”

Little Frost Ferret’s face turned ashen.

It never occurred to it that Lord Shou, whom it trusted wholeheartedly, would readily betray it.

“Shall I begin?”

Xu Xiaoshou had been muttering to himself, and with no response from Qilin, he decided not to delay any longer and turned to Elder Han, saying, “Hold it and do not resist.”

“Squeak?” Little Frost Ferret was taken aback.

With determination shining in his eyes, Xu Xiaoshou wasted no time and performed the Soul Reading technique.

He wasn’t just blowing hot air when said he could meet Qilin.

He still remembered meeting a girl named Duo’er during the trial in the Yunlun Mountain Range, a demi-saint descendant of the Black Heart Fruit Clan in the Southern Region.

He encountered a mishap when he unleashed Soul Reading upon her.

Through the soul memory, Xu Xiaoshou saw Demi-Saint Zang Ren of the Black Heart Fruit Clan. Even across two realms, Demi-Saint Zang Ren sensed his presence from afar and peered into his soul.

Back then, Xu Xiaoshou was just a novice and was nearly scared to death after facing a Saint.

Fortunately, several powerful wills emerged within him, which startled him but likely didn’t leave Demi-Saint Zang Ren unscathed.

Since then, whenever Xu Xiaoshou thought about using “Soul Reading” again, he always considered whether the target had faced a Saint before.

The past was insignificant.

Xu Xiaoshou was no longer afraid of ordinary demi-saints.

The fear he felt back then had now become a special form of connection.

After all, even Demi-Saint Zang Ren could peer into his soul.

How could the Holy Emperor Qilin not react at all?

Under the Soul Reading, Little Frost Ferret convulsed, feeling as though needles were piercing its brain.

It finally understood what Lord Shou meant by “endure it,” but it couldn’t resist, nor did it have time to.

Experienced as he was, Xu Xiaoshou inflicted only brief pain on Elder Han.

Based on the bleak experiences of the Frost Ferret, he quickly identified the segment of its past life where it was imprisoned in the Four Symbols Secret Realm.

He immersed himself in it.

After delving into Elder Han’s soul memory, Xu Xiaoshou saw a scene almost identical to the present moment.

The only difference was that he was currently in a state of Super Saint Escape Technique, and the “waves” he sensed were extremely prominent.

Following the soul memory, Xu Xiaoshou halted the Super Saint Escape Technique and looked around in confusion before projecting his saint’s will.

“Squeak?”

With a yelp, Xu Xiaoshou, or rather Elder Han, witnessed an unforgettable scene.

This memory was deeply etched into its soul.

The underground world abruptly changed, and Elder Han’s consciousness entered another mysterious space.

This place was shrouded in an everlasting haze of black mist, devoid of sky and land, and even its space rules were fragmented.

In this world steeped in primordial antiquity, there was a colossal creature.

Its body was obscured by the black mist, making it indistinct.

But its immense deep blue eyes, resembling falling moons, were embedded in the “sky” of this world.

Even the pupils seemed to be larger than the Frost Ferret’s by tens of thousands of times!

“Squeak…”

Xu Xiaoshou (Elder Han) let out a panicked cry.

Yet those giant deep blue eyes merely blinked, holding within them endless ancientness and a faint, inexplicable sorrow. Its gaze shifted away, indifferent to the demi-saint’s stare.

It was ancient beyond measure!

As if older than the world itself.

Just by beholding those immense eyes, Xu Xiaoshou comprehended the sense of worldly detachment and profound sadness that comes from experiencing the vicissitudes of life and death.

The soul memory stopped at this point.

Instead of fleeing as Elder Han initially intended, he discovered that the ancient creature harbored no hostility. He attempted to greet it but received no response.

However, the plot took a turn.

After the colossal deep blue eyes shifted their gaze, a hint of spirituality graced their pupils, much like Demi-Saint Zang Ren back then, before glancing over.

“Boom!”

A heavy pressure descended.

Underground, Little Frost Ferret felt as if struck by lightning, bleeding from every orifice and flipping backward.

Xu Xiaoshou’s mind thundered, momentarily disoriented by the explosion, but he quickly recovered under Spiritual Awakening.

His first reaction was to send the injured Elder Han back to Yuan Mansion, then, overcoming the trembling sensation, he struggled to raise his gaze and meet the deep blue eyes.

“Human…”

The world around them changed under this ancient voice.

Xu Xiaoshou was blasted out of the Soul Reading state.

Relying on his recklessness, he managed to be pulled into the fragmented world within Elder Han’s memories.

“You, shouldn’t have come!”

Qilin’s deep blue eyes shimmered with a hint of anger.

But perhaps due to the three buckets of dragon blood or some other reason, it didn’t attack. It only spoke in a deep voice, transmitting its thoughts in a way understandable to humans.

“Gulp…”

Xu Xiaoshou swallowed hard, his body trembling uncontrollably.

He had never felt so insignificant!

Unlike Holy Emperor Fengtian, who was confined by Mo Mo, only when he fully transformed into a ghost beast and unleashed the “World Taboo” could he truly evoke the oppressive aura of a Holy Emperor upon others.

Nor was it like the various thought incarnations such as the Third Ancestor of White Vein and the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon seen on Abyss Island, whose power was formidable but limited by their lack of a true body.

It was not even comparable to Wangze Holy Emperor, who had only sent a strand of his will to intervene in Abyss Island, struggling against the will of the Heavenly Ancestor Spirit while fighting against Saint Servants, ultimately being completely swallowed by Lord Qing Shi of the Divine Prison.

What Xu Xiaoshou saw before him…

The Holy Emperor Qilin, with just a pair of deep blue eyes, could evoke an endless sense of vulnerability.

Xu Xiaoshou was absolutely certain that this was its true body!

This was the only being that, upon first meeting, could evoke such feelings in Xu Xiaoshou:

With just a lift of its claw, all the schemes and plots of Dao Qiongcang were mere bubbles, and even Elder Dao the Flamboyant would be crushed with just a thought!

“Influenced, Passive Points, +1.”

With a flicker of thought, Xu Xiaoshou snapped back to his senses.

Upon another look, he saw the true weakness behind the strength:

Qilin’s eyes concealed exhaustion, its imposing aura was like a castle in the air. It was undoubtedly powerful, but its reluctance to act was not solely due to three barrels of dragon blood.

He remembered Aunt Xiang’s words:

The Holy Emperor Qilin was also sealed within the Four Symbols Secret Realm, and every trial would drain its strength.

Its existence sustained the entire Holy Palace!

Each and every one of them was a monster sealed away… Xu Xiaoshou collected his thoughts, took a deep breath, and his racing heart gradually calmed:

“Greetings, Senior Qilin.”

Qilin remained silent.

Its deep blue eyes were set high in the sky, peering down upon the shattered world, its indifference restored in the face of mortal beings.

“Forgive my intrusion, but without further ado, I would like to ask…” Xu Xiaoshou got straight to the point, “Senior, have you ever considered leaving this place?”

Qilin’s eyes remained unmoved, devoid of any emotion as if humans were no different from dust.

Perhaps, from its perspective, he was just a fool who ran up to the Holy Emperor, pointing at its nose and asking:

“Do you wish to ascend to godhood?”

Xu Xiaoshou pondered silently, then smiled awkwardly before saying:

“I forgot to introduce myself. I am Xu Xiaoshou, the successor of the Heavenly Ancestor, the Dragon Ancestor, the Martial Arts Ancestor, the Sword Ancestor, and also the Time Ancestor.”

“You, born since ancient times, should know the purpose of the Ten Ancestors and whether I have the capability to utter such words.”

Xu Xiaoshou then conjured the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff in his hand, his eyes gleaming brightly.

When it came to lying, he didn’t need to rehearse; even though he only possessed the Cursed Yin Eye, wielded a mere Time Ancestor Shadow Staff, and had only learned a bit of Ancient Sword Technique, he dared to claim descent from the Martial Arts Ancestor, Time Ancestor, and Sword Ancestor.

But wasn’t negotiation an art of blending truth with falsehood?

Mixing truth with lies, his power as the descendant of the Heavenly Ancestor and the Dragon Ancestor was genuine, something the Holy Emperor’s Qilin could surely discern.

More chips were put on the table; even if he was eventually exposed, Xu Xiaoshou was still the descendant of the Heavenly Ancestor, a fact that was genuine and highly intimidating.

The results of self-praise were particularly evident.

As Xu Xiaoshou finished his introduction, he distinctly saw a hint of surprise flash through the deep blue eyes of Holy Emperor Qilin.

He remained confident, waiting calmly.

At this moment, it was time for the other party to speak, and then he would craft his next move.

But who would have thought that the deep blue eyes of the Holy Emperor’s Qilin would flash with a hint of unrest before returning to indifference?

With a tone no different from before, it conveyed its message clearly through thought:

“Human Xu Xiaoshou, I’ll give you one more chance. Leave the Four Symbols Secret Realm immediately!”

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