After the Samsara Saint left, Lan Xiaobu immediately began removing the mark Buju had placed on him. In just a few breaths, he stripped it off and left it in his cave.
Lan Xiaobu was certain the Samsara Saint could guess Buju had marked him, yet knowing this, the man didn’t even hint at it. This showed just how cunning and ruthless he was—he was testing potential allies. If Lan Xiaobu fell to Buju, the Samsara Saint would surely team up with Buju. If Lan Xiaobu took down Buju, he’d align with Lan Xiaobu instead.
Despite recognizing the Samsara Saint’s scheming nature, Lan Xiaobu felt helpless. He genuinely needed the Samsara Saint’s help right now. Without it, even if he could overpower Buju, he couldn’t trap him.
As for Kucai, he could ask her for aid, but it would cost at least one Chaos Divine Spirit Vein. Such veins were rare and finite, so Lan Xiaobu wouldn’t turn to her unless absolutely necessary.
After removing Buju’s mark, Lan Xiaobu also stripped off the Samsara Saint’s mark, sealing it in a jade box. Even if he was to cooperate with the Samsara Saint, he wouldn’t roam around with his mark on him—it was a way to signal his escape routes and methods on Saint Island.
With both marks dealt with, Lan Xiaobu calmly left his cave. He didn’t disguise himself or conceal his presence, simply teleporting away.
As a Divine Array Master cultivating on Saint Island, not setting up a few teleportation arrays would be a death wish.
Lan Xiaobu had arranged three one-way teleportation arrays at his cave. One sent him directly outside Saint Island, though it required the island’s protective array to be unlocked.
With both of Saint Island’s saints driven off, the protective array was clearly not sealed. Even if it were to be locked, it wouldn’t happen so quickly. The exact locations of the two array discs guarding the island were likely known only to the departed island masters.
The other two arrays led to a secluded spot outside Golden Saint Dao City and to the perimeter of the caves of the Mad Saint and Tree Saint within the city.
Lan Xiaobu was sure his cave was surrounded by various surveillance divine arrays, including revealment arrays.
Knowing he possessed the Heavenly Transformation technique, Buju would be foolish not to set up revealment arrays. But these were useless against him unless they deployed a space-locking grand array outside his cave.
Lan Xiaobu knew they wouldn’t dare. If Buju did set up a space-locking array, he’d毫不犹豫 team up with Kucai to confront and eliminate Buju head-on.
Lan Xiaobu chose to teleport to the perimeter of the two Saint Island masters’ caves. This short-range teleport caused only a slight spatial ripple, and he landed outside their caves. He had etched a void concealment divine array here, crafted purely from array patterns. Unless someone was adept in void array patterns and had closely inspected the area, it was undetectable.
Looking at the shattered caves, Lan Xiaobu sighed inwardly. In just a few days, the seat of Golden Saint Dao City’s highest authority had been reduced to this state. When Buju had smashed the island masters’ caves with a single punch, it was clear he didn’t take them seriously at all.
Lan Xiaobu didn’t fully transform, just slightly altered his appearance, preparing to head to Buju’s cave.
Buju’s cave was surely surrounded by revealment arrays—attempting a full transformation to sneak in would be suicide. As for the Samsara Saint’s mark, he’d reveal it once he reached Buju’s cave perimeter.
Just as he was about to leave the void concealment array, he paused. At that moment, he realized his planning wasn’t thorough enough—it was even overly arrogant and self-assured. He was just a First-Turn Saint; what gave him such confidence?
Why did the Samsara Saint seek him out for cooperation? What made him a worthy partner? Just because he’d bid on Buju’s fake flag? If so, why not team up with Buju directly?
If he were the Samsara Saint, who would he choose in this situation?
Without a doubt, partnering with Buju would better serve the Samsara Saint’s interests—unless he knew Lan Xiaobu had two boundary flags. Otherwise, there was no reason to pick him over Buju.
First, Buju’s strength was visibly greater than Lan Xiaobu’s. Though the Samsara Saint claimed he wasn’t much weaker than Buju, in his heart, he might think Lan Xiaobu was far inferior. Even knowing Lan Xiaobu had feigned injury earlier, it didn’t change the fact that he was weaker.
Buju not only outmatched him in strength but also knew the flags’ locations. Since Buju was the better candidate in every way, why would the Samsara Saint choose Lan Xiaobu?
If that wasn’t enough to sway the Samsara Saint toward Buju, the Samsara Pot on Lan Xiaobu would seal the deal.
Partnering with Lan Xiaobu, even if they took down Buju and secured the flags and their locations, would Lan Xiaobu share his treasures? No. The Samsara Saint would only get to use the Seven Realms Stone.
But with Buju, they could divvy up Lan Xiaobu’s loot in advance—Samsara Pot, Yin-Yang Mirror, Book of Life and Death, Great Destruction Technique, Great Severing Technique, Great Curse Technique…
With so much to split without affecting the stone’s use, why would the Samsara Saint forsake Buju for him? Because he was a Dao Lord?
Moreover, the Samsara Saint surely knew the Samsara Scroll was with him and that he’d replicated it with the Cosmic Dimension Model.
To a cultivator, any one of these items was worth fighting for. With so many combined, the Samsara Saint would have to be brain-dead or utterly enamored with Lan Xiaobu to pick him.
Phew! Lan Xiaobu exhaled deeply. At that moment, he was certain that if he went to Buju’s cave now, it wouldn’t be him and the Samsara Saint ambushing Buju—it’d be the Samsara Saint and Buju ambushing him.
He had two paths now. First, leave Saint Island immediately and get as far away as possible. But as the Dao Lord of the Great Desolation Divine Realm, he doubted he’d get far. Second, find an ally at once. On Saint Island, only one person could team up with him and threaten both the Samsara Saint and Buju: Kucai.
…
The moment the Samsara Saint left Lan Xiaobu’s cave, he changed his mind.
Honestly, when he’d first sought out Lan Xiaobu, he’d genuinely intended to team up against Buju. He chose Lan Xiaobu over Buju because Lan Xiaobu was the Dao Lord of the Great Desolation Divine Realm. A Dao Lord’s seal was immensely valuable to him. Also, while Buju could defeat Lan Xiaobu, he couldn’t crush him. If Lan Xiaobu had the flags and Buju couldn’t dominate, the Seven Realms Stone would be out of reach. Had Buju achieved Seventh-Turn Saint status, he wouldn’t have hesitated—he’d have allied with Buju instantly.
But the moment he stepped out of Lan Xiaobu’s cave, he reconsidered. He decided to join Buju and eliminate Lan Xiaobu.
The benefits of taking down Lan Xiaobu were too great. He’d only hesitated earlier because he feared failing to kill him would lead to endless trouble.
Upon entering Lan Xiaobu’s cave, he sensed Lan Xiaobu’s strength was lower than he’d imagined. Plus, Lan Xiaobu might have the Cosmic Dimension Model.
The Samsara Scroll he’d left with Nuo Yisheng was just a mirror of the real scroll. Though its contents were solid, it was meant to send Nuo Yisheng into the Samsara passage to form a Yin-Yang principle for him. The true scroll remained with him.
Yet Nuo Yisheng died, and his scroll turned blank. Only the Cosmic Dimension Model could strip the real scroll through its mirror.
Besides, even if Lan Xiaobu had flags and a Dao Lord seal, killing him would make them his.
The Samsara Saint moved swiftly, reaching his cave in no time. He didn’t enter, instead saying, “Friend Buju, if you don’t mind, come to my cave for a chat. I think we can cooperate.”
A figure abruptly appeared, “Friend Samsara, weren’t you just about to team up with Lan Xiaobu? Why switch to me so quickly?”
The Samsara Saint clasped his fists, “Because only with you can I reclaim what’s mine, and only with you can we both maximize our gains. Otherwise, I’d just get to use the Seven Realms Stone. Are you saying you wouldn’t even let me use it after we team up?”
This implied he’d forgo the stone.
“Haha…” Buju laughed heartily, “Friend Samsara, you’re thinking straight now. I was about to persuade you myself. Let’s discuss the details then.”
The Samsara Saint added, “Friend Buju, just now Lan Xiaobu and I planned for him to turn the tables, ambushing you at your cave while I’d join to help.”
Buju’s expression shifted slightly, then he said, “That cunning brat.”
He hadn’t expected Lan Xiaobu to dare ambush him. Preoccupied with how Lan Xiaobu would fend off his own sneak attack or frontal assault, he hadn’t considered Lan Xiaobu flipping the script.
But he quickly added, “He’s probably relying on his transformation skills. Don’t worry, if he gets within ten miles of my cave, I’ll know.”
Buju didn’t doubt the Samsara Saint’s words. Anyone with sense would see who was the better choice between him and Lan Xiaobu.
