Between the prison bars, the old man showed an expression of uncharacteristic loss of composure for the first time.
Beneath his pale and disheveled hair, every muscle on his face seemed to be writhing, minuscule forces tightening every inch of skin, adhering closely to the sinewy contours, making his face appear particularly grim and terrifying.
Chen Kuang was startled to realize that, hidden beneath the seemingly stooped and frail form of the old man, the torso revealed by the worn prison garb was equally emaciated and solid, with strands of muscle twisted tightly like iron cables.
This was a Grandmaster of the current world, with a physique honed to the extreme, containing world-shattering might even if battered and riddled with holes.
Huo Hengxuan's expression was too stern, too terrifying. Just sitting there, he could send chills down one's spine, leaving them dazed, with fear creeping into their hearts.
Had it not been for his unexpected intuition without warning, Chen Kuang would surely have thought Huo Hengxuan wanted to kill him!
Chen Kuang ground his back teeth, feeling uneasy, and said:
"What does it matter if her Dao Heart is broken?"
Huo Hengxuan stared at him, his face stern as he said sharply:
"Do you know what Shen Xingzhu represents to the Mystic God Daoist Sect?"
"What is it?"
In truth, not that Shen Xingzhu, even the Mystic God Daoist Sect, Chen Kuang only vaguely knew it was a very large sect...
Before Shen Xingzhu had introduced herself, he didn't even know who she was.
But thanks to his intuitive insight and perceptive intuition, he could completely grasp her every reaction, which led to his success.
It can be said he really gambled big.
"The Dao Mark!"
Huo Hengxuan took a deep breath, unable to suppress the overflow of his aura due to emotional fluctuations:
"Her Dao Mark on the shore is so lofty, it could make the sun and moon dim."
He said expressionlessly: "This is the evaluation given to Shen Xingzhu by the scholar from Freedom Mountain, recorded in the Canglang Appraisal of contemporary geniuses."
Chen Kuang was embarrassed: "Uh... I don't understand what you're saying."
Scholar, Canglang Appraisal... These things are not information that a mere human like him can access.
"..."
Huo Hengxuan fell silent.
He had indeed forgotten that the person in front of him had just recently opened the Sixth Acupoint, akin to a mere mortal.
Damned, even more perplexing.
Such a reckless youngster actually broke Shen Xingzhu's Dao Heart, saying it aloud would sound so far-fetched even a madman would find it absurd!
Yet it was precisely because of this that Huo Hengxuan did not doubt the truth of this matter.
Because anyone with a sound mind wouldn't concoct such an obviously fake joke to deceive others...
Enough, things are what they are.
The old man sighed, calming his emotions:
"You just need to know that she is the hope of the entire Mystic God Daoist Sect... Have you heard the saying 'One person attains Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascend to the heavens'?"
Chen Kuang nodded, sensing some understanding in his heart.
"The lofty Dao Mark on the shore can be contemplated and enlightened, and can ferry others out of the sea of suffering."
Huo Hengxuan left it at that, saying no more:
"You've shattered her Dao Heart, equivalent to cutting off the future of the Mystic God Daoist Sect. Once this is known, you will be the enemy that the forty thousand disciples of Fuli's Taoist sects must kill, with no escape to heaven or earth."
He thought that by saying this, Chen Kuang would understand the severity of the matter.
But unexpectedly, Chen Kuang was initially stunned before shrugging his shoulders, saying blandly:
"That's a problem for the future, if I had sat by and let her expose me, I would face the same fate as Emperor Liang tomorrow."
"Why must I be weak and she strong, that I cannot resist at all?"
"If that were the case, wouldn't it mean that all cultivators just stand there comparing cultivation levels, and comparing whose backing is stronger, then forcing others into suicide?"
He mimicked Huo Hengxuan's tone, shaking his head and saying:
"If death comes, let it come, but do not lose your courage."
The young man's demeanor was leisurely, his eyes radiant, naturally exuding a sharpness like a sword drawn from its sheath.
Huo Hengxuan's face twitched, speechless to the extreme, cursed: "You call this courage? You're asking for death!"
"When people from Fuli come, you'll know what regret is."
"Then let them come, I can always run."
Chen Kuang muttered, paused, then suddenly smiled and said:
"Old man, are you in such a hurry, afraid that I might die?"
Huo Hengxuan froze, then expressionlessly snorted:
"I don't have much time left, afraid you'll cut off my legacy."
Chen Kuang, however, laughed: "Don't worry, whether you admit it or not, you teach me a sword or a method, I consider you half my master."
"I am at least a prodigy, maybe not can't have thirty years east of the river, thirty years west?"
He murmured softly: "Besides, this Dao Mark doesn't necessarily eclipse the sun and moon, making it unattainable."
This woman, she walks in darkness.
...
Shen Xingzhu stood at the top of the corner tower, and Wei Su looked up at her from below, sighing in awe.
This Daoist of the Mystic God Daoist Sect had an ethereal demeanor, truly an otherworldly fairy, even if the sky were full of stars, they couldn't compare to the flutter of her hem.
No wonder, in addition to the Canglang Appraisal, the Rouge Appraisal which records the beauties of the world also has Shen Xingzhu's name.
Though to this day, no one has seen Shen Xingzhu's true face.
But based solely on her aura and a pair of eyes, she ranks third.
When Li Hongling left without an explanation, Wei Su knew Shen Xingzhu had been to the Celestial Prison.
He opened the white fan in his hand, and asked loudly:
"Fellow Daoist Shen, have you seen that musician?"
Shen Xingzhu looked at the stars in the sky, her black clothes fluttering in the wind, rustling.
She replied indifferently: "I have seen him."
Wei Su cupped his hands, pretending to be concerned as he said: "What does Fellow Daoist think?"
"These past two days, I've inquired around again, and heard from a Black Armor Guard named Qingcuo that the musician's legs were trampled by Li Hongling, presumably in unbearable pain."
"This Li Hongling dared to commit such heinous acts under the watchful eyes of the Daoist of the Mystic God Daoist Sect, truly..."
"I didn't see any other wounds on the musician."
Shen Xingzhu suddenly turned, her gaze incredibly cold, looking down at Wei Su from above.
"Since Li Hongling resorted to private punishment, why only strike once?"
Wei Su initially maintained a fairly casual stance, but after a few breaths, he couldn't help folding the fan, breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Maybe... maybe it's guilt."
Shen Xingzhu stepped into the void, hands behind her back, walking down slowly: "Since there is guilt and cowardice, why not silence him?"
Wei Su couldn't help but step back, clenching the fan handle tightly, veins popping as he said:
"Silencing is hard to do without leaving traces..."
Shen Xingzhu spoke slowly: "So you know that when the wind passes there is sound, and when the goose flies there are traces."
Before she finished speaking, Wei Su suddenly felt all the hairs on his back standing on end!
He "swish" opened the fan, just as ink marks appeared on it, a long sword pointed at his neck.
Wei Su hopelessly stopped moving, frozen in place.
The enormous, terrifying gap was chilling, he didn't even have a single chance to resist!
Realizing this, Wei Su gave up on struggling.
He pleaded: "This is a joint conspiracy between the Three Tribulations Sect and the Great Zhou, concerning the fate of a sect, millions of mortals, I beg Fellow Daoist to show mercy!"
Such a humbled posture from Wei Su subconsciously reminded Shen Xingzhu of Chen Kuang.
Clearly, only possessing the cultivation of the Six Acupoints like an ant, yet with immense courage, facing the same powerless predicament.
Seeing the height of the sun and moon, this person dared to seize the sun and pluck the moon.
Even more absurd, he succeeded...
She squinted her eyes in slight irritation:
"Wei Su, I remember, you know the Heaven-Stealing and Day-Changing Technique."
Wei Su looked ashen, knowing he had no means of concealment: "Yes."
"叾卟叿, what is this?"
Shen Xingzhu asked slowly.
At that time, Chen Kuang thought he had no options, and asked her these three characters.
The three characters were completely nonsensical. Naturally, she didn't understand, thinking it was nonsense out of fear.
But now she knew that this musician, with his deep scheming, could never be aimlessly talkative.
These three characters are absolutely of utmost importance to him!
They're a key enough to make him confident in overturning the situation with just three words!
Shen Xingzhu watched Wei Su's hesitant expression, patiently waiting for his response.