Lan Xiaobu didn’t hesitate for a moment. The Eternal Life Halberd unleashed a ten-thousand-foot halberd beam that crashed down, colliding with Tifo Saint’s hand seal.
Boom! Golden light exploded, and the halberd beam shattered as if struck apart, dissipating into nothing. At the same time, Tifo Saint’s hand seal was blasted to pieces.
The spatial rules twisted violently, faint cracks appearing in the void.
“Huh!” Tifo Saint let out a surprised exclamation, staring at Lan Xiaobu in disbelief. Though he hadn’t gone all out, he was a true saint. His hand seal carried the charm of his Dao, not something an ordinary person could shatter. Yet Lan Xiaobu had casually swung his halberd and broken it. This was no small feat.
Lan Xiaobu frowned slightly. He’d just tested it, this monk was strong. Though he hadn’t used a divine ability, the opponent hadn’t even summoned a treasure. In Lan Xiaobu’s view, Tifo’s strongest asset was likely those eighteen prayer beads.
After a moment, Tifo Saint nodded. “You’re strong, a hundred times stronger than I imagined. Maybe I can’t kill you.”
Lan Xiaobu scoffed. “‘Maybe can’t kill me’? Don’t flatter yourself. The Reincarnation Pot’s right here. If you can make me flee today, I’ll call it your win.”
Lan Xiaobu felt that while he might not defeat this monk, the guy couldn’t crush him or force him to run either.
He also saw it clearly now, this was a true saint, possibly a First-Turn Saint.
“Heh, my strength’s just not fully restored yet, barely a third. Once I’m back to full power, I’ll crush you easily,” Tifo chuckled, his eyes narrowing into slits.
Lan Xiaobu replied coolly, “Sure, sure. My strength’s only recovered a ten-thousandth. When I’m fully back, a puff of breath will crush you.”
“You’re indeed an ancient powerhouse reincarnated…” Hearing this, Tifo Saint didn’t doubt Lan Xiaobu’s boast. His eyes lit up instead. No wonder a Quasi-Saint was this terrifying, he must be a top-tier saint reborn.
Or perhaps Lan Xiaobu was a true Eternal Life Saint.
He didn’t question it because he could tell Lan Xiaobu’s age was remarkably young, almost unnaturally so.
Meteor stood dumbfounded. He’d just stepped into the Quasi-Saint realm, and now Lan Xiaobu was there too. Moments ago, he’d been certain they’d kill Lan Xiaobu and claim his secrets. Now he realized he’d been overly optimistic.
Clearly, Lan Xiaobu outmatched him. As for Tifo Saint’s claim of Lan Xiaobu being an ancient powerhouse reborn, Meteor didn’t doubt it. It felt plausible. How else could Lan Xiaobu, even with secrets, cultivate so fast?
He was different, a sort of reincarnation himself. Unlike others, he’d reincarnated as a mere soul fragment.
Pu He Divine Emperor’s heart churned like stormy waves, a voice roaring within, he’d been right, Lan Xiaobu was a titan among titans.
He knew Tifo Saint too well, a powerhouse who’d once held a saintly position. Even if Tifo hadn’t fully recovered, he was at least halfway there. Yet he couldn’t handle Lan Xiaobu. Imagine how strong Lan Xiaobu was.
And Lan Xiaobu was only a Quasi-Saint. Once he became a First-Turn Saint, who could stand against him?
The killing aura of Lan Xiaobu’s Eternal Life Halberd surged again. If Tifo wouldn’t act, he would.
“Wait…” Sensing Lan Xiaobu’s fierce killing intent sweep in, Tifo hurriedly tried to stop him. “Attacking’s pointless. I can’t kill you, and you can’t kill me. Fighting’s meaningless, why not be friends?”
Lan Xiaobu didn’t halt, his killing aura intensifying. Sparring with a powerhouse was how he’d improve. Killing Tifo was one thing, but using him as a sparring partner wasn’t bad either.
“Fellow Daoist, you should know the cosmic laws are shifting too fast, beyond many’s perception. With anomalies abound and rules complete, saints aren’t fixed in number anymore. In a place teeming with powerhouses, I think teaming up would make us stronger. You can help me, I can help you, it’s a win-win,” Tifo Saint said with a grin, as if he’d come to negotiate, not rob Lan Xiaobu’s pot.
Lan Xiaobu chuckled. “So you blast my ship for no reason, and I’m supposed to team up with you? You think I’m an easy mark.”
With that, the Seven Sound Halberd’s killing momentum turned into a halberd-wave ocean, engulfing the entire area.
Though the raging killing intent wasn’t aimed at him, Meteor instinctively retreated fast, feeling that a moment’s delay might drag him into that sea of slaughter.
Tifo Saint didn’t dare block with his fist this time. His eighteen prayer beads shot out, forming eighteen tangible domain barriers.
Boom! Crack! Snap…
The sounds of divine essence clashing and Dao charm shattering rang out continuously. The eighteen illusory domains crumbled layer by layer, and Lan Xiaobu’s halberd-wave ocean faded. When the domains collapsed entirely, the halberd waves vanished too.
Silence returned, as if nothing had happened.
“See, I didn’t even fight back. I’m sincere about being friends,” Tifo Saint said, stepping back two paces, stowing his beads, his tone still warm.
Before Lan Xiaobu could respond, he continued, “I was wrong to attack your pot earlier. Since I messed up, I’m willing to help you a few extra times in our partnership.”
Lan Xiaobu didn’t strike again, putting away his halberd. “Fine. Before I help you, I need you to do a few things for me.”
Tifo grinned. “Of course, no problem. The moment I saw you, I knew you were worth befriending. I’m sure we’ll be great friends.”
Oddly, Tifo didn’t mention what he wanted Lan Xiaobu’s help with. But Lan Xiaobu didn’t care. He hadn’t sworn anything, he’d help if it suited him, and if not, well, sorry.
“A friend of mine, Xi Nianmo, owns Thunder Sword Manor. Did you destroy it? Did you chase her?” Lan Xiaobu asked, eyes locked on Meteor.
He wondered if Tifo would intervene if he took out Meteor.
Sensing Lan Xiaobu’s killing intent, Meteor, as if reading his mind, said calmly, “Fellow Daoist Lan, we’re old acquaintances. I was wrong earlier today, I apologize. Two facts: one, you can’t kill me, two, I’m far more useful than your pal Pu He.”
He’d figured out it wasn’t Lan Xiaobu clinging to Pu He’s leg, but Pu He to Lan Xiaobu’s.
Pu He bristled at Meteor’s words. “Meteor, I’ve heard of you. They say you lived off women. I’m one of the Twelve Divine Emperors, what can you do besides skulking around?”
Tifo clearly valued Meteor more, waving a hand. “Fellow Daoist Lan, finding your friend’s the priority. I don’t know who hunted her, but I’d guess it’s Minyuan, that hypocrite.”
“Minyuan?” Lan Xiaobu paused. Minyuan was in the Rootless Divine Realm too? It made sense, the guy had plenty of treasures, he could’ve escaped the Abyssal Divine Ruin when others couldn’t.
Tifo smirked. “You’re on this path, you must’ve tracked Minyuan’s escape route. Meteor and I were chasing him too. He’s a sanctimonious jerk, but he’s loaded. If we hunt him down together, we can split his loot. How’s that?”
“Fine. Lead the way, Fellow Daoist Tifo,” Lan Xiaobu said. He knew Minyuan had treasures, but Xi Nianmo’s safety mattered more now.
If Minyuan was indeed after Xi Nianmo, it might tie back to him. With Minyuan’s cunning and control over the Abyssal Divine Ruin’s pill springs, plus their joint trip to the outer springs and the Dao discussion, and Lan Xiaobu’s Heavenly Shift divine ability, Minyuan could’ve deduced that the disguised Zhu Ku he’d traded with was Lan Xiaobu.
Knowing his true face, Minyuan could’ve traced Lan Xiaobu’s roots in the Rootless Divine Realm, targeting his friends. Minyuan’s strength matched the spacetime image Lan Xiaobu retraced: stronger than Xi Nianmo, but she’d barely escaped, and he’d pursued.
Not just Xi Nianmo, Shen Hu and Lou Tianhu were his friends too, potential targets for Minyuan.
With that, Lan Xiaobu urged, “Fellow Daoist Tifo, what’re we waiting for? Let’s chase Minyuan. Hop on my Reincarnation Pot.”
He stepped onto the pot first.
“Haha, never thought I’d ride the Reincarnation Pot!” Tifo laughed heartily, boarding without hesitation.
Seeing Tifo climb aboard, Meteor smiled and stepped up too, unfazed by any tricks Lan Xiaobu might pull.
“Heh, some guts,” Pu He muttered, joining them. He didn’t like Meteor. Tifo was one thing, a saint with status and power far above him, but Meteor? Who was he to yap in front of him?
Lan Xiaobu had no time for tricks. Once Tifo pointed the way, the Reincarnation Pot turned into a streak, vanishing into the void.
