Chapter 2572: Entering the Trap, Not Losing the Entire Game (2)
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He heard a rustling sound beside him as if someone had lain down.
Unable to resist any longer, he turned his gaze and saw the usually solemn Hallmaster Dao lying on the ground with his head resting on his arm, staring absentmindedly at the sky, completely bereft of his usual poise.
Xi was stunned. “Hallmaster Dao…?”
Hallmaster Dao’s mouth was open.
Two of his front teeth were missing, making him look as if he had shed all his disguises, transforming from a “saint” back to a mere “mortal.”
The lofty distance between them was gone.
Sucking air through his teeth, he stared blankly at the sky and muttered, “Youth really is wonderful!”
Xi sprang to his feet, his worry evident. “Hallmaster Dao, shouldn’t we go over there? Xu Xiaoshou is still fighting Kui…”
Dao Qiongcang extended a hand and pressed the young man back to the ground.
“If you’re going to be bad, be thoroughly bad; if you’re going to be clever, think things through more thoroughly.”
“Kui Leihan knocked you and me away, but left Xu Xiaoshou with only half his body blasted away, still in the same spot.”
Dao Qiongcang turned his head, his hand firmly pinning Xi to the ground, and smiled.
“You were chased all the way from Jade Capital City to Qingyuan Mountain, and now that you’ve finally found help, don’t you want to catch up?”
“Since we’ve chosen to step out of the battle, why go back and join the chaos?”
“If you’re going to do someone a favor, do it completely. Don’t go halfway and feel it’s a loss, and then try to take it back. That way, you’ll just upset everyone.”
“The martial arts world is more than just fighting and killing…”
Xi could no longer hear Hallmaster Dao’s rambling words. His head buzzed, and he felt utterly confused.
Such thoughts never crossed his mind. Peddling favors or saving face?
He just wanted to escape the scene…
“That’s why you’re not thorough enough!”
Dao Qiongcang sighed. “The righteous gentleman is revered by all, the cunning villain leaves a lasting curse, but those like you, neither fish nor fowl, die the fastest.”
Xi was speechless.
He glanced at Hallmaster Dao up close, and his anxiety quickly eased.
With this relaxation, all the previous doubts surfaced in Xi’s mind…
“Hallmaster Dao, do you think Kui Leihan will be persuaded by Xu Xiaoshou?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Why? Do you think I’m here to twiddle my thumbs? Use your brain. If Kui Leihan were to join the Saint Servants, he would have done so long ago.”
“So, Hallmaster Dao, you must have a plan, right?!” Xi became excited and tried to sit up to inquire further, but Hallmaster Dao’s arm kept him pinned down.
Strange, divine sorcerers didn’t train their bodies, so why was he stronger than an ancient swordsman?
Xi gave up struggling and asked again, “Then, Hallmaster Dao, aren’t you worried about leaving those two alone?”
“A slim chance, a one-in-a-million chance. Such a small probability, do you think you’ll hit it every time? Do you always fuss over insignificant matters when everyone is dealing with you? Are you really that impressive?”
“Uh, that’s not what I meant. I mean…” Xi hesitated for a long time, unable to articulate his thoughts.
“Thinking is useless. If you think there’s a chance, just block the path ahead of time.” Dao Qiongcang looked back at the sky.
“How to block it?”
This time, Dao Qiongcang remained silent.
Xi’s curiosity was piqued, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. “Hallmaster Dao, please teach me!”
Dao Qiongcang suddenly sat up, his gaze intense as he asked seriously, “Are you a Saint Servant? Are you so eager to know because you’re a spy?”
Xi’s heart skipped a beat, and he jumped up in shock. “Hallmaster Dao, how could I possibly be a Saint Servant…”
“What if?” Dao Qiongcang smiled ambiguously.
Xi was dumbfounded.
Only then did he realize he had been tricked again by this infuriating Elder Dao the Flamboyant…
The feeling of being scared out of his wits was unpleasant.
Xi knew that if he continued to ask, the answer might just be that divine secrets couldn’t be revealed. So, he changed the subject:
“Hallmaster Dao, weren’t you here specifically for Xu Xiaoshou? How can you leave him alone in Changde Town? Aren’t you afraid he’ll run away?”
“No.”
“Why?” Xi felt that whenever he reached this point in his questioning, the answer would always be elusive.
This time, Dao Qiongcang wasn’t stingy with his words: “What you’re seeing now is just a manifestation of Xu Xiaoshou’s will.”
“So?” Xi looked expectantly.
Dao Qiongcang made a grasping motion in the air, as if seizing something, and said meaningfully, “My appetite is much bigger!”
“Hmm?” Xi became even more curious.
Dao Qiongcang turned around, the “mortal” expression gone, once again becoming Hallmaster Dao.
“Divine secrets cannot be revealed~”
Xi felt like a deflated balloon, his energy drained.
“Alright, enough talk. They should be done by now.” Dao Qiongcang got up and started walking towards Changde Town.
Feeling resigned, Xi had no choice but to follow.
He had wanted to slack off but was caught by his superior. It seemed he had to put in extra work after all!
“You don’t have to come back with me.” Dao Qiongcang abruptly turned around.
“Huh? Then where should I go?”
“Go to Qingyuan Mountain.”
“Why Qingyuan Mountain?” Xi turned to look into the distance, feeling puzzled.
The battlefield was in the south and he would be heading north, wasn’t that going the wrong way?
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hallmaster Dao’s signature, flamboyant, mysterious smile.
“Divine secrets cannot be revealed?” Xi hesitated, learning to answer his own question.
“There’s hope for you yet. Go.”
“So, where exactly should I go in Qingyuan Mountain?”
“Just go. Yu Zhiwen is there. She should have been waiting for a long time.”