I Am Loaded with Passive Skills

Chapter 4427: Chapter 2045: Sword Salutation (Part 3)

A sudden shock also startled Xu Xiaoshou considerably.

He immediately turned his attention back to himself and quickly found a blatantly obvious "handshake" pattern attached to his Sea of Consciousness.

"Dao Qiongcang!" Xu Xiaoshou shouted loudly, making a gesture as if to erase the branding.

"Lord Shou~~~"

In his mind, a voice filled with sadness and pleading emerged just in time:

"Lord Shou, I realize my mistake."

"But please, absolutely please, don’t erase this branding."

"The Memory Tree in the new Heavenly Realm can elevate the Dao; I can give it all up, offer everything to you, Lord Shou, I just want to live."

"And please rest assured, Lord Shou, even if I, Dao Qiongcang, am alive, I can no longer pose any threat to you or Bazhun’an. After all, I have even abandoned my body, which has all my backup plans, and recovery requires a long time."

"I have nothing now. If you truly erase this branding, it will erase all memories related to me from the world’s consciousness, and I would truly ’perish.’ You could gain an additional piece of the Origin True Stele, but Lord Shou... you would lose a true friend who genuinely loves you!"

Xu Xiaoshou fell silent.

In his mind flashed images of first hearing about the Hallmaster Dao at Tiansang Spirit Palace, of meeting Dao Qiongcang for the first time at Abyss Island, of being chased to death on Qingyuan Mountain, and of collaborating in the Divine Relics...

Too much!

Dao Qiongcang, this scoundrel, seemed both an enemy and a friend, leaving one unsure of what he was thinking.

There was a time when Xu Xiaoshou treated him as a lifelong nemesis, even keeping a Raging Golden Body unutilized, just in case Dao Qiongcang might rebel in the end.

No!

Did that guy run out of tricks, left only with the emotional card?

"Lord Shou, I’ve paid the friendship fee..."

"Lord Shou, the God Descent Technique is really useful..."

"Lord Shou, only by being alive can I reshape the Black Memory Mark. Only then do people in the memories have a chance of revival. If I die, everyone is gone..."

In his mind, a series of earnest, pleading voices resounded.

Dao Qiongcang was weeping and pitiful, without a trace of dignity, willing to do anything to survive.

"Noisy, are you threatening me!"

"I wouldn’t dare, Lord Shou, I’m merely speaking the truth..."

Xu Xiaoshou did not immediately help Dao Qiongcang revive, nor did he directly erase the branding from his consciousness, simply remained inactive.

He hesitated, unable to make a precise decision at that moment.

Dao Qiongcang was manipulative, but indeed had done quite a few things.

Reviving Apricot Realm citizens via the Black Memory Mark, Xu Xiaoshou could do this through path robbery, text robbery on the Memory Path, reshaping the Black Memory Mark, rediscovering everyone in his memories, and reviving the world with Body Dao, Spirit Path, and Will Path.

But doing so would mean losing Dao Qiongcang.

As despicable as he was, Dao Qiongcang’s Memory Path could be stolen, but his calculating ability was terrifying, something Xu Xiaoshou found unreachable.

He could not replicate it, nor did he want to.

No sane person could withstand the constant flood of information that required processing at every moment.

On Nuozu’s side, one person alone was not enough, more useful assistance was required.

Bazhun’an as the sword, Dao Qiongcang as the brain, while he reaped benefits from the confusion, this was indeed the perfect combination.

The only thing causing hesitation was Dao Qiongcang’s tendency to easily betray, Xu Xiaoshou could not fully ensure subduing him, no matter how convincing Dao Qiongcang sounded or appeared weak.

"Lord Shou."

Just as he wavered with indecision, from the distant end of spacetime, Bazhun’an, after completing his sacrifice, did not immediately vanish.

He merely returned briefly through memory; the true body couldn’t possibly return so quickly.

At this moment, he turned his memory towards the Will Path, climbed onto his Sea of Consciousness, and connected with him.

"You are still here!"

Xu Xiaoshou raised his head, gazing at the distant, blurry face of Bazhun’an, his eyes suddenly brightened:

"Don’t ask anything first; I have a question I want to ask you."

"Lord Shou, please go ahead."

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath, solemnly asked, "Dao Qiongcang, kill or not?"

Bazhun’an seemed startled upon hearing this, glanced at the nearby place where Saint Xin perished, as if contemplating something, then quickly understood.

Aware that dealing with Dao Qiongcang means endless troubles, his choice, naturally, was without hesitation... extermination:

"Kill!"

"If there’s an opportunity, it’s best to kill immediately; do not hesitate."