Wandering Gods of Day and Night
Chapter 319 - 203 Dual Secret Realm_3

Chapter 319: Chapter 203 Dual Secret Realm_3

"Working for the Great Scholar isn’t exactly hard labor."

Old Dao Bazi’s Bamboo Leaf Blade effortlessly sliced through the Liao Ghost’s corpse. Years of wielding his blade had made him prideful of his skill in flaying.

Human skin, cut diagonally, revealed the fat beneath—a layer pressed seamlessly under the knife, while above the blade there wasn’t a trace of fat or blood. The skin peeled clean, as flawless as fine silk.

"East Market Street has been turbulent lately. Zhou Xuan and Lv Mingkun are becoming more ruthless."

Old Dao Bazi rarely met Zhou Xuan or Lv Mingkun. Initially, he hadn’t witnessed Lv Mingkun’s blade technique and didn’t know he was a Wuzuo.

It wasn’t until the battle on East Market Street that, upon secretly observing them, he realized both young men weren’t ordinary—one was a Wuzuo destined to rise, and the other was the Zhou Family’s Nuo God who managed to kill Lu Yusheng.

"Once the overseer reaches seven incense sticks, I’ll join forces with him to help you seek vengeance for the Wuzuo."

"That sounds good." Old Dao Bazi responded, almost devoid of emotion. "The disciples of the Wuzuo Tangkou were my cash cows. Now that tree’s been uprooted, I’ll have to demand an explanation from Zhou Xuan.

By the way, Great Scholar, if you’re helping the overseer burn seven incense sticks, why not just capture Zhou Xuan? That kid’s spiritual energy is incredibly rich. Maybe just from him alone, the overseer can ignite the incense flames."

These words sent shivers down the spine of the Suffering Scholar, prompting him to ask Old Dao Bazi, "During the battle on East Market Street, were you there the whole time?"

"No, I only sneaked a glance when Zhou Xuan and Lv Mingkun consecutively struck down four Wuzuos. After that, I didn’t dare look anymore and hid back at home. Before I left, I caught sight of Lu Yusheng and Zhou Xuan clashing. Later, Lu Yusheng died, and I guessed it was Zhou Xuan who killed him."

Old Dao Bazi, a Tangkou Hall Master, had hidden himself in East Market Street for years—a thorough coward, cherishing his own life above all else. Whenever things seemed off, his first thought was always to run.

"Did you know Zhou Xuan also killed the Monument King?"

"He’s capable of that?" Old Dao Bazi asked skeptically.

"It wasn’t exactly his ability. Lord Hua and Lord Jian from Ping Shui Prefecture arrived..."

The mention of Lord Jian made the Suffering Scholar’s body shiver uncontrollably. With a You Shen protecting Zhou Xuan, what good would capturing him even bring?

"Si Yuer, however, is our next target for capture," the Suffering Scholar said. "She’s a Blood Well Spirit Communicator, and her blood and flesh are treasures. But since Housekeeper Bai from the Si Mansion follows her everywhere, handling her won’t be easy."

"Hard to handle? I think you’d best leave it be."

A young and unfamiliar voice echoed from outside.

The Suffering Scholar and Old Dao Bazi turned their gaze toward the door.

The door remained locked, but a figure suddenly appeared inside the room—it was Zhou Xuan, who had activated his "Divine Armor" to teleport.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he hadn’t readied himself to strike.

For now, he didn’t need to make a move.

"Suffering Scholar, your time is up."

Zhou Xuan’s eyes swept across the Suffering Scholar’s weathered face. At the same time, Old Dao Bazi reacted almost instinctively, flinging a Bamboo Leaf Blade directly at Zhou Xuan’s face.

The Bamboo Leaf Blade whistled sharply, flying toward Zhou Xuan.

When the blade was just one foot away from Zhou Xuan, a sudden streak of fire appeared beside the blade. As the fire extended, a hand emerged from the flames, grasping the blade tightly before the fire promptly vanished.

The Suffering Scholar shouted to Old Dao Bazi, "This is the Space Law—the Painter can emerge from anywhere within the space around you. Watch closely for that firelight; he must use it to manifest."

With merely a glance, the Suffering Scholar discerned the Painter’s technique.

The two were long-time colleagues as Bone Elders, with some understanding of each other’s abilities.

Even though Old Dao Bazi grasped the principle behind the Painter’s technique, understanding the concept didn’t help much.

With so many angles around him, from which direction would the Painter emerge?

"Like shadows cast by cups and snakes, nerves frayed by rustling leaves"—this aptly described Old Dao Bazi’s current state of mind.

His body could move, but he dared not act, frightened that shifting even slightly would give an opening for the Painter to appear and take him by surprise.

His eyes could see, and ears could hear, but his gaze found only emptiness, while his ears caught nothing but the sound of wind passing through.

At last, the fire streak emerged diagonally ahead of Old Dao Bazi, allowing his taut nerves to relax somewhat. Though he lacked the confidence to defeat the Painter, he could at least face him directly rather than remain perpetually on edge against empty air.

As the fire streak stretched, a hand emerged holding the Bamboo Leaf Blade it had intercepted earlier. With a forceful flick, the blade flew at Old Dao Bazi’s chest.

The Painter wasn’t proficient in throwing blades; this attack was merely a feint.

Yet Old Dao Bazi fell for it, moving his own Bamboo Leaf Blade to block, aiming to deflect the force of the incoming blade. Unbeknownst to him, another fire streak appeared behind him.

From the fire, the Painter truly stepped out, forming his right hand into a sword gesture and pointing directly at Old Dao Bazi.

Boom!

A burst of flames ignited at Old Dao Bazi’s spine, and an intense wave of pain coursed through his body. Struggling to turn around, he attempted a final desperate battle, intending to use his blade as a venomous fang to lash out at the Painter...

At this moment, the Suffering Scholar moved.

The clash between the Painter and Old Dao Bazi lasted only an instant. The Suffering Scholar seized the opportunity to launch a sneak attack on the Painter.

As for Zhou Xuan, a mere two or three incense sticks’ time wouldn’t allow him to stir trouble. Once the Painter was dealt with first, killing Zhou Xuan would be as effortless as yawning.

Having set his mind clearly, the Suffering Scholar began chanting the "Dao Yan Divine Spell." A blaze ignited in the direction of the Painter.

The scales of victory seemed to be tipping in his favor, yet unexpectedly, the most underestimated Zhou Xuan had suddenly become the most active piece on this grim chessboard.