Chapter 507 - Trial Of The Ghost Beast, I Refuse!
Xu Xiaoshou?
How could it be Xu Xiaoshou?
This is impossible!
The Night Guardian's eyeb.a.l.l.s almost popped out.
He could accept that the ice-type ability that contained the frozen power came from the ghost beast that had walked out of the White Cave.
But he couldn't accept that the ghost beast's accomplice was...
Xu Xiaoshou?
"How can it be Xu Xiaoshou?!"
The Night Guardian was about to fall apart.
If Xu Xiaoshou was the seal ghost beast's accomplice...
Then he as a Night Guardian would mean nothing.
From the scene when they first met at the City Lord Mansion of Tiansang City, to the moment when the sea of flowers exploded, to the repeated interrogation after the bounded domain was shattered, and then to the famed sword Flame Python that he had sent after entering the White Cave...
One scene after another.
Frame after frame.
Like a replay of a movie, these scenes flashed through his mind at the speed of light.
The Night Guardian was trembling.
He felt as if he had forgotten a crucial piece of information because of the subsequent developments in the City Lord Mansion.
"The aura of a ghost beast!"
He returned to the scene when the two of them first came into contact.
At that time, how did he target Xu Xiaoshou?
That's right!
There was a stench on his friend's body that was incomparably similar to that of a ghost beast.
It was the kind of stench that was not smelly.
Initially, when he was questioning Xu Xiaoshou, his train of thought was interrupted due to Xu Xiaoshou's appearance. After some persuasion, it seemed like everyone had forgotten about this matter.
Furthermore.
Now that he thought about it when he first met Xu Xiaoshou.
It seemed like he had also smelled a scent from this fellow...
"The stench of a ghost beast!"
Xu Xiaoshou explained that he had come into contact with the seal ghost beast back in the Spirit Palace.
Thus, he dispelled his doubts.
Now, it seemed like...
Night Guardian shook his head helplessly as his eyes scanned the two of them in disbelief.
"This is more than just a little contact?"
"This is simply collusion!"
At that time, he couldn't remember the details of the incident at all. It was as if with just a glance, he had completely understood it.
The Night Guardian's thoughts spun crazily as if he was enlightened. He felt as if everything had surfaced.
"If Zhang Taiying was a ghost beast, why wasn't he discovered after hiding for more than ten years? The moment he met Xu Xiaoshou, not only was he completely exposed, he even died tragically at his hands?"
"A person who was at the Peak of Sovereign and had a ghost beast died tragically at the hands of an Innate?"
The Night Guardian smiled bitterly.
"Also, Xu Xiaoshou's friend... Xin Gugu?"
"Yes, that's the name!"
"After that guy entered the City Lord Mansion, he saw it with his own eyes. It was before Xu Xiaoshou left the banquet room."
"But in the end, until Xu Xiaoshou killed Zhang Taiying, it seemed that he never appeared again?"
"So... where did Xin Gugu go in the end?"
The Night Guardian's face turned pale.
"And!"
He did not dare to continue his reasoning, but as a Red Coat, he had to.
No matter how much he thought about it, he still had to follow the direction that was the least likely to happen, but it was also the direction that was the closest to the truth and continued his reasoning.
"When Xu Xiaoshou was in the Spirit Palace, he had already dealt with this seal ghost beast when he was a mere Innate."
"Now that I think about it, it seemed like he was telling the truth back then."
"Then, how did he come into contact with the seal ghost beast when their cultivation level and strength were completely different?"
"Xu Xiaoshou..."
"Hah, this fellow, when he was in the Spirit Palace, he might not even be at the Innate Stage, right?"
"How could a fellow with such cultivation level be qualified to come into contact with the seal ghost beast?"
"Or to put it another way, why would a seal ghost beast take a fancy to him and even had some real interactions with him?"
"Impossible!"
The Night Guardian was bitter.
He completely understood.
Now, there was only one reason that could explain all of this.
Xu Xiaoshou was also the host body of a ghost beast!
He was also a terrifying existence that was extremely intelligent and good at hiding himself!
Ghost beasts were not scary.
They were afraid that ghost beasts had intelligence.
An extremely intelligent existence that could play with Red Coats and humans was what everyone was most afraid of.
"Then..."
"Xu Xiaoshou, is it?"
The Night Guardian closed his eyes heavily.
Xu Xiaoshou was more than that.
His battle prowess, which could rapidly increase in a short time...
His eloquence was enough to kill a living person, and it was enough to infuriate a dead person to the point of absurdity...
That strategy was superior to the sophisticated and vicious way of thinking thousands of miles away...
Which other young man of his age could do that?
And how could a mere Tiansang Spirit Palace groom someone like that?
None!
Not at all!
After the incident at the City Lord Mansion, he had specially gone to look for information on Xu Xiaoshou.
It was clearly written in the information that a guy who had been at the bottom of the Tiansang Spirit Palace's Outer Yard for two years was almost kicked out of the Spirit Palace.
He was able to rise up in the Windcloud Compet.i.tion and won the champions.h.i.+p.
Didn't this mean something?
"I'm so stupid!"
At this moment, the Night Guardian was filled with regret.
He was stupid.
He was not smart and his brain did not work well.
Otherwise, he would not have been rendered speechless by Xu Xiaoshou's argument based on a series of suspicious points.
So much so that after the incident with Zhang Taiying ended, he didn't even want to stay, even if he had to see this kid once more.
If it was Lan Ling or Xin...
No.
It didn't need to be them.
Even if the person who went to the City Lord Mansion of Tiansang City was a more normal person who would do things according to the Red Coats' rules and regulations.
He would have chosen to bring this suspicious Xu Xiaoshou directly back to the Red Coat base and interrogate him first, right?
"I..."
The Night Guardian's eyes lost their color.
He felt that his reputation had fallen into the hands of Xu Xiaoshou.
This fellow was too good at acting!
He could completely control human nature and human hearts.
He could even accurately predict his reactions and emotions after he choked on his words with Xu Xiaoshou.
That was why he lost his mind for a moment. He didn't even bring Xu Xiaoshou back to the Red Coat base and escaped on his own!
"Zhang Taiying..."
The Night Guardian laughed bitterly. "What a good way to borrow someone's knife to kill someone!"
At that moment, he seriously suspected that without knowing anything, he had turned into the knife in Xu Xiaoshou's hand, cutting off a big obstacle for the ghost beast.
Perhaps, it was because Zhang Taiying had discovered something.
Xu Xiaoshou had no choice but to reveal his true ident.i.ty. He had directly disregarded his safety and chose to act in the City Lord Mansion, killing the only person who knew about it, right?
And yet...
He got away unscathed.
"Stupid Night Guardian!"
"You've lived your whole life as a dog!"
...
"Surprised, Pa.s.sive Points, +1."
"Suspected, Pa.s.sive Points, +1."
"Acknowledged, Pa.s.sive Points, +1."
"Conjecture, Pa.s.sive Points, +1."
"..."
The information bar suddenly popped up with a series of continuous messages as if it had gone crazy.
Xu Xiaoshou flipped over and stood up. He saw the Red Coat Night Guardian floating in the air, staring at him in disbelief.
He immediately realized that things had changed.
"This is bad!"
From this series of messages, no matter how good the Night Guardian usually treated him.
At this moment, there was no doubt that he had placed himself in the same circle as the grey mist figure.
"But things aren't like this!"
Xu Xiaoshou was going crazy.
He wasn't a ghost beast.
Nor was he a ghost beast host body.
However, Greedy the Cat Spirit was still in the Yuan Mansion.
Even if he didn't want to admit it, he did have a slight connection with the ghost beast.
Although it would not be the same as what the Night Guardian saw in his determined eyes.
However, when the grey mist figure came out with him, it still appeared with him.
Even if it did not say anything after it came out, the Night Guardian will only believe what he saw. And now he would not be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
At this moment, the Night Guardian's attention was taken away from the grey mist figure.
In his heart, Xu Xiaoshou's current level of danger was many times higher than the grey mist figure!
He clenched his fists and exhaled deeply. Then, he put his hands behind his back and suppressed the killing intent in his heart. He said indifferently, "You, what else do you want to quibble about?"
"Awaiting, Pa.s.sive Points, +1."
Wait?
More like waiting to die!
Xu Xiaoshou did not dare to be careless. His brain started to work frantically.
However, after racking his brain, he finally realized something.
If he was the Red Coat Night Guardian, he would not believe anything Xu Xiaoshou, who was good at sophistry, said at this moment.
"I..."
"You have the right to remain silent."
The Night Guardian interrupted him coldly, "But everything you say now will become the testimony of the Red Coat Prison."
"Prison?"
Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.
He did not expect things to be this serious.
Red Coat Prison.
That was the place where only ghost beasts and ghost beast host bodies were imprisoned!
If he entered that place, how could he come out?
Even if his eloquence exploded and he could explain everything.
Even if all the Red Coats had their brains crushed by the door and their minds were completely muddled.
The Yuan Mansion in his arms and Greedy the Cat Spirit that was in his Yuan mansion...
How could he explain it?
It was unsolvable!
At this moment, Xu Xiaoshou realized that he had made a mistake.
He shouldn't have taken over Greedy the Cat Spirit.
The moment he left the Spirit Palace, his arrogance allowed him to take over this hot potato.
At that time, he foolishly thought that it wasn't a big problem. As long as he didn't sign a contract, he could abandon it at any time.
However, from Jiao Tangtang and Xin Gugu's point of view...
That was not the case!
Just because he had taken over Greedy the Cat Spirit, Xin Gugu's side was able to help him so wholeheartedly, right?
They had known long ago.
Once he touched the red line of the ghost beast, it would be difficult for him to escape unscathed.
Once he lied, he would have to use countless lies to cover it up.
It was only a matter of time before the truth was exposed.
And once the truth was exposed, he would be completely dragged into the boat of the ghost beast, whether he was willing or not.
Xu Xiaoshou lowered his eyelids.
He had thought it through.
He was not the only smart person in the world.
He was blindly arrogant, thinking that he had schemed against everyone.
In the end, he only broke through one broken cage and entered another trap.
But...
"That's not it!"
Only Xu Xiaoshou knew clearly in his heart.
He took Greedy the Cat Spirit. It was not for the reason that the Night Guardian had thought.
Nor was it as far away as Jiao Tangtang and Xin Gugu had thought.
It was only because he was very confident...
It was only because...
It was fun?
He was curious?
With a low sigh, Xu Xiaoshou laughed silently.
Self-deception.
Curiosity killed the cat!
"I have nothing to explain."
He raised his head and looked at the Night Guardian with a solemn expression. Suddenly, he pulled out the famed sword Flame Python and said, "I've already told you everything I can tell you when this sword was born."
"Just like what you said, the Red Coat has its justice. I, Xu Xiaoshou, am the same as well."
Glancing at the grey mist figure who had retreated to the back, Xu Xiaoshou shook his head and sighed softly.
"I will definitely not do something that goes against the heavens!"
"But the justice and path that belongs to me, I will see and figure it out myself."
"I don't trust anyone!"
Xu Xiaoshou hit his chest. "I only believe what I see, hear, and feel with my heart!"
During his interaction with Xin Gugu, he saw the feelings of the ghost beast.
Even if it was based on the premise of an exchange of benefits.
But at a certain moment, in the other party's eyes, there was a desire for freedom and peace, as well as the helplessness of choosing to continue fighting after having no other choice.
Xu Xiaoshou felt it all.
The body could not be connected.
But the heart could be connected.
These spiritual exchanges were not groundless, nor were they false.
Since he, Xu Xiaoshou, had seen it, how could he choose to turn a blind eye?
It was an indisputable fact that ghost beasts had feelings.
And Red Coat's att.i.tude towards ghost beasts was too resolute.
Genocide!
Xu Xiaoshou did not dare to agree with such an extreme approach, nor could he accept it.
Although humans lived in this world, there were also good and evil.
As for ghost beasts, just because some of them were evil and did horrible things, they could throw away the kindness in their hearts and be insincere?
Mo Mo was like this.
Greedy the Cat Spirit, who did not know the good and evil in this world and had not grown up, was also like this.
It was better to ease the blockage.
Blindly restraining them could only force those good people to finally choose to rise up and resist.
What was the result?
The result was self-evident...
"Phew!"
Xu Xiaoshou actually did not hate Red Coat's way of doing things.
There was a reason for its existence.
But he did not agree, so he chose to see the world clearly for himself.
If he hit a wall in the end.
If he went down the wrong path.
He would admit it.
But at least, from the looks of it, Xu Xiaoshou didn't think he did anything wrong.
He even thought it through now, but he was glad that he could accept Greedy the Cat Spirit.
Because in this way, he could establish a bond with the ghost beasts.
He can walk into their lives and see them clearly.
Now.
The only undeniable fact was that the rules and regulations already existed in the world.
Even if there was a malady, Xu Xiaoshou could not directly resist.
That was why.
Any criticism of the existence of the world, in the final a.n.a.lysis, was because of the person's own lack of ability.
"If, I was the one who set the rules and regulations..."
"If, I was the chess player..."
Xu Xiaoshou clenched his fists tightly, but he suddenly interrupted all of his thoughts.
There were no ifs.
As far as the eye could see, the bright light in front of him was the future!
...
"Xu Xiaoshou, I have to admit that you're truly outstanding."
The Night Guardian shook his head and sighed.
"In my entire life, I've rarely seen such an outstanding young man like you."
"The last person who amazed me was the Eighth Sword Deity who swept across the continent and destroyed all directions."
"I really hope that what you have achieved was obtained step by step."
"I admire you!"
"But..."
He looked a bit pained, and his eyes were full of struggle. "But there's nothing I can do. I have doubts about my own judgment."
"You have to come with me to the Red Coat base for a trial."
"If you are innocent, I guarantee that all your losses this time will be turned into your wealth and returned to you."
"But if..."
"There are no ifs!"
Xu Xiaoshou interrupted coldly. There was a relieved smile on his face. He became even more determined. "I will not go with you. I choose to pave my own way."
"How dare you!"
The Night Guardian flew into a rage.
He admired Xu Xiaoshou, but it did not mean that this young man could behave atrociously in front of the dignified Red Coat!
"You are now suspected to be the host body of a ghost beast and there are even greater suspicions of you being a ghost beast. You have to come with me!"
"Pave your own way?"
He tried hard to control his emotions, but he could not help but laugh coldly. "Who do you think you are? Are you the Eighth Sword Deity?!"
"Why can't I?"
Xu Xiaoshou's eyes were burning. He looked directly at the Night Guardian in the sky and said firmly, "My ambition is not in Tiansang, but the five regions!"
Boom.
This simple sentence directly shook the somewhat muddled Night Guardian into unconsciousness.
His mind went blank for a moment. He could only look at the young man below in a daze as if he saw Bazhun'an in his youth.
They both held a sword in their hands, yet they dared to utter such nonsense.
They were equally unruly, and their bodies were filled with a wild aura.
But...
How could it be the same?
He was an Innate in three breaths and a Sword Deity in three years!
He had reached the peak of this world around your age, how could it be the same?
But in the end?
The Eighth Sword Deity... didn't he fall just like that?
Grief was in the eyes of the Night Guardian.
"My will is not in Tiansang, but the five regions..."
He also hoped that Xu Xiaoshou could rely on his own will to truly shoulder the weight of his words.
However, did this foolish kid in front of him realize the seriousness of his own problem?
"I can believe you, but if the Red Coat doesn't believe it, the people won't believe it, and the world won't believe it either!"
The Night Guardian released his hand, and the spiritual source in his body began to stir.
"It's useless to say anymore."
"This is Red Coat's duty."
"Today, you must return to the base of the Red Coats with me. You will be trialed by someone who is specifically appointed for this."
Xu Xiaoshou took a step back. "What if I say no?"
"No?"
The Night Guardian laughed. "You don't have the right, nor do you have the strength to say no!"
Boom!
The dark power erupted, instantly sealing off the entire s.p.a.ce.
The Night Guardian's arms were covered with dark tattoos. He reached out his hand and advised, "Give up struggling, or you might die."
"What about him?"
Xu Xiaoshou glanced in the direction of the grey mist figure.
The Night Guardian also turned his head.
The grey mist figure was dumbfounded.
Darn it, why are you looking at me?
You two can continue to fight!
Halfway through the conversation and you had started to plot against me?
"Xu Xiaoshou, don't struggle anymore. Give up. All the Red Coats are outside."
The grey mist figure did not mind the commotion and mocked, "I've already given you the Infernal Original Seed and the Three Days Frozen Calamity. How could the Red Coat not see through this friends.h.i.+p?"
"Even if you don't say it, once the battle starts, everyone would know."
"Even if we try to persuade him now, it's just a superficial act. Everyone knows it."
"Just stop it. Go to h.e.l.l... I mean, it's best to follow the Red Coats."
"Exhorted, Pa.s.sive Points, +1."
Xu Xiaoshou was so angry that he was amused.
He had thought that the grey mist figure would save him and let go of the grudge.
But now, it seemed that it must be because of Mo Mo...
This guy was not called the grey mist figure if he did not cheat anyone before he died.
"Shut your filthy mouth!"
He scolded, "You can't get the treasure yourself. I helped you to collect the Three Days Frozen Calamity and even brought you out. The cooperation between us when we were trapped has already ended. Now, you are trying to get me involved?"
"No way!"
The Night Guardian heard what he said and his eyes were fixed. "Three Days Frozen Calamity?"
He looked around at the withered snowflakes around him and looked at Xu Xiaoshou. He asked in disbelief, "You did this?"
"Yes."
Xu Xiaoshou flipped his hand, and the ice flame instantly appeared in his palm.
"I'll explain it to you first. Don't accuse me wrongly when the time comes."
"It's because I was also in the Spirit Fusion Swamp. When the explosion happened, that red dress..."
Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the ice sculpture not far away and continued, "It was him who sealed both of us into the small s.p.a.ce world."
"Fortunately, the Infernal Original Seed and the Three Days Frozen Calamity were left inside."
"I originally wanted to split it up the treasure between the grey mist figure, and then work together to blow up the small s.p.a.ce world and escape. However, this trash ghost beast didn't live up to my expectations and couldn't even contain the ice flames. In the end, I had to do it all."
Xu Xiaoshou looked at the Night Guardian with an indifferent expression and said, "I saved this ghost beast while I was at it, but it was only because its host was my friend."
"I've told you before, my friend from the Spirit Palace, the ghost beast that I've dealt with before, is also her... I mean this grey mist figure!"
The Night Guardian was dumbfounded.
He was completely shocked.
This terrifying ice-type ghost beast that he regarded as a great enemy and even thought that it had pa.s.sed the Nine Death Thunder Calamity was actually... just Xu Xiaoshou?
This fellow, how old was he!
"Three Days Frozen Calamity..."
Looking at the ice lotus in Xu Xiaoshou's hand, he was in a daze.
The Night Guardian was speechless from the bottom of his heart.
So, his original sixth sense was not wrong.
Every large-scale explosion had something to do with this kid?
Bah!
Not only did it have something to do with him.
But everything was orchestrated by this guy!
"In that case, the explosion in the Spirit Fusion Swamp..."
The Night Guardian was bewildered.
"Don't put the blame on me."
Xu Xiaoshou waved his hands repeatedly and explained, "That explosion had nothing to do with me. I just wanted to get the Infernal Original Seed."
"In the end, that thing came into being on its own and collided with the power of the Three Days Frozen Calamity, causing it to explode on its own."
"Even if I've committed the crime of helping a ghost beast, it's only related to my friend. It's understandable from both logic and emotion."
"The matter of the explosion has nothing to do with me."
This has nothing to do with you?
The Night Guardian froze.
So, in the end, everything was caused by you, Xu Xiaoshou!
Not only the explosion...
The ghost beast as well!
Glancing at the grey mist figure, the Night Guardian calmed down and said solemnly, "You can justify your mistakes, but all of this is just your side of the story. We Red Coats will have our own judgment."
He raised his hand and looked at the ice lotus in Xu Xiaoshou's hand.
"Stop and follow me!"
"What about him?" Xu Xiaoshou was still unwilling to give up. "The real ghost beast is right in front and yet you choose to capture me?"
The Night Guardian took a deep breath. "Now, you are much more dangerous than the ghost beast!"
"Praised, Pa.s.sive Points, +1."
Xu Xiaoshou was speechless. He almost wanted to crush this information column that constantly refreshed his presence.
What kind of situation was this? He was still messing around?
He did not dare to say anything more. With a pinch of his hands, the frozen power above the ice flames bloomed to 120%.
"Ka Ka --"
In an instant, the darkness was forced back by the ice.
The fluttering snowflakes turned into black specks of hail under the extreme cold and crashed down.
The Three Days Frozen Calamity that contained the calamity power was obviously much stronger than the dark attribute that had not used the Power of the Higher Void energy yet.
Xu Xiaoshou looked at the scene between the Heaven and Earth Oven, which was half bright and half dark. He s.h.i.+fted his gaze to the Night Guardian and said solemnly,
"If you insist on taking me, my answer will still be the same
"I refuse!"