"Gu Shen, you're a big liar!"

"Liar!"

"Liar..."

The girl's voice echoed through the silvery, vast mountains, eventually dissipating with the wind and snow.

This encounter on the tundra was destined to be brief.

Soon, the farewell arrived.

Bai Xiu saw Gu Xiaoman off from the snow mountain, passing again the azure lake, flying over the boundless snow, and as they were about to part, Gu Xiaoman suddenly asked, "Master Bai Xiu, everyone says Gu Shen is dead. Do you think so too?"

"That question... is meaningless."

Bai Xiu shook his head and said, "I hope to see him again... but I also know that the hope is very slim."

Gu Xiaoman's eyes showed some disappointment.

She quietly tightened the ties on her cloak and said softly, "I understand."

Bai Xiu looked at the little girl's mature and worldly appearance after she put on her black cloak, and a pang of sadness struck his heart.

The wind and snow were heavy.

That small black dot trudged laboriously on the snow, and in the end, she didn't turn back, only facing away from him, symbolically waving her hand in the distance, indicating that he shouldn't worry.

The tundra wind howled fiercely. Bai Xiu stood leaning against a protruding boulder, the cold wind scraping the stone like iron, making a clang.

"It's time to come out."

He said in a low voice.

From the far end of the snowy ground, a figure in a red cloak slowly walked out, a pair of sabers at his waist.

"You were a little too soft just now. You could have been heavier,"

The Red Dragon walked out of the snow mist, leaning against the back of the large rock. He said with a smile, "This little girl hasn't suffered much since she started cultivating. I thought you would give her some adversity training."

"What are you talking about?"

Bai Xiu frowned, his voice containing anger. "She is my disciple. Of course, I will cherish and protect her. How could I deliberately target her? As for the setbacks on the path of cultivation, she will have to experience them sooner or later. It's not up to me to impose them."

"...Alright."

The Red Dragon shrugged. He knew that he and Bai Xiu couldn't reach an agreement on this topic, so he changed the subject, praising with a smile, "Your cultivation has progressed very quickly in the past few years, even faster than I imagined. You truly deserve to be an 'S-rank.'"

"I don't think there's anything remarkable about that."

The word "S-rank" was an unparalleled honor for others.

But for Bai Xiu, it wasn't much.

Bai Xiu's gaze fell on the end of the tundra. He could no longer see Gu Xiaoman's figure. This chance encounter on the tundra was definitely not a coincidence... Only the Red Dragon knew about Gu Xiaoman's departure from Central Continent, so Bai Xiu was here because the Red Dragon had told him the news.

In the previous communication, the Red Dragon's tone seemed anxious, but he wasn't panicking at all.

How could he let the future Wine Host go out to train alone?

If Gu Xiaoman really wanted to go somewhere he couldn't easily follow, the Red Dragon would also try to find a powerful enough "protector."

"Is the Source Tower really taking good care of her?"

Bai Xiu said coldly, "She must have suffered a lot in these five years."

"Sorry, I and the Source Tower are actually two different camps." The Red Dragon crossed his arms and said indifferently, "How can you not suffer if you want to become the 'Wine Host'? The path to becoming a god is bound to be full of thorns... Besides, you haven't seen what she's turned Central Continent into these past few years. None of those who made her suffer had a good end."

Bai Xiu pressed on relentlessly, "But how did I hear that someone from the Yunhu Sect wanted to kill her?"

This question left the Red Dragon speechless.

"That's just her guess..."

The Red Dragon sighed softly, rubbed his eyebrows, and added after a moment of silence, "Although she guessed correctly."

"Hmm?"

As soon as these words came out, the killing intent between Bai Xiu's eyebrows began to congeal.

Someone really wanted to kill Gu Xiaoman.

"Gu Xiaoman's identity as the 'Wine Host' has not yet been announced. The only people in the entire Source Tower who know her true identity are Sky, Teacher, and me... As for the others, they only know that her identity is special and that she is well-loved. She's the super genius brought back from the Sangzhou Grotto mission." The Red Dragon explained, "At first, in the eyes of Yunhu and Xuan Gui, she didn't pose a threat. But as the position of the 'Wine Ember' remained vacant, and as time passed, they gradually realized something was wrong."

Bai Xiu roughly understood why.

The Source Tower was really good at fishing, even its own people.

The existence of the Four Divine Envoys could greatly maintain the status of the Source Tower.

But to drive these four "top geniuses," it was necessary to set up an ultimate goal for them to willingly pursue.

At this moment, it was the Wine Ember!

Having reached the position of Divine Envoy, how could they reject the temptation of the Ember...

Five years ago, during the Sangzhou Grotto mission, Tian Shui-xiansheng used the "Ember" as bait to prompt the Four Divine Envoys to go all out. But after the mission ended, news of the Ember's owner was still nowhere to be found.

After that, there were only some scattered rumors.

Even if the Four Divine Envoys were fools, they felt that something was wrong.

Although they couldn't rebel against the divine authority of the Source Tower, they would still accumulate dissatisfaction... But at this time, the unresolved "Ember" became a balancing force. As long as the Ember's owner's identity was not announced, it meant that they still had a chance, and even if they had grievances, they couldn't vent them.

But Gu Xiaoman's growth made Yunhu and Xuan Gui feel a real danger!

"The Sky Throne is indifferent to everything. He doesn't care about the process that this matter has to go through... He only cares about the final result. The Source Tower finding the perfect 'Wine Host' candidate is only a beginning. Qing Long wants to make this 'Wine Host' grow up quickly, so he chose this method."

The Red Dragon lowered his eyes and said, "In the past five years, the relationship between the Four Divine Envoys has been deliberately divided, forming a certain degree of opposition. The Sky Throne encourages Yunhu, Xuan Gui, and Zhu Que to 'hate' Gu Xiaoman."

Bai Xiu's expression was gloomy. "This is... raising Gu?"

"Yes."

The Red Dragon took a deep breath and said, "Only those who stand out from thousands of people are qualified to pluck the Ember. If you want to make a knife sharp, you need enough whetstones. In Qing Long's plan, the so-called Divine Envoys are just Gu Xiaoman's stepping stones... If she wants to become the 'Wine Host,' she can't do without these stepping stones. I can't interfere with this process."

He lived under the tower shrouded in divine authority.

Even if he saw what Qing Long was doing... he couldn't change it.

Bai Xiu was silent for a while. He wanted to say that he would go and kill these Divine Envoys, but he immediately understood what the Red Dragon meant by "cannot interfere."

Gu Xiaoman's real trouble didn't come from the Divine Envoys, but from the divine authority.

If the Sky wanted to inflict these hardships on her, she had to endure them!

Even if Bai Xiu really killed the Divine Envoys, new Divine Envoys would soon be born!

"We can only watch the Wine Host's path to godhood."

The Red Dragon chuckled softly, "This path is only for Xiaoman alone. She is destined to be very lonely... I know you're not happy, but now is not the time for you to take action. If you come forward to kill the Divine Envoys, it will only make [Yun Jing] notice your existence. If Qing Long senses something is wrong and is determined to lower himself to obliterate you, what will you do?"

Bai Xiu looked up at the vast snow, silent and more silent.

"So, no matter what we do at this moment, it won't make things better, it will only make things worse."

The Red Dragon comforted, "But you can rest assured, I am Xiaoman's 'protector'. I will protect her completely. In the future, she will become the strongest 'Wine Host' of all time."

The two leaned against opposite sides of a boulder.

In these five years, the relationship between Bai Xiu and the Red Dragon had gradually changed from the initial "hostile strangers" to a subtly "temporary ally."

He knew that the Red Dragon and Tian Shui-xiansheng were plotting a revolution in the Upper City.

Cultivating Gu Xiaoman to become the Wine Host was a masterstroke to overthrow the Sky Throne in the future.

He also knew that he played an extremely important role in the final god-slaying... Qing Long had been defeated by the Lei Jie Xing Zhe (Thunder Realm Walker) in a young confrontation, and he needed to cultivate his abilities to the extreme before the divine war began. This extreme was not just a "title."

It was the extreme of the mortal world!

The trials provided by the Deep Sea only had twelve levels, but the limits of transcendents were definitely not just twelve levels.

There were also different levels of power among the titles!

Powerful titled transcendents, such as the Rustbone General of the Fourth Army of North Continent, could fight one against three in battles of the same level and win!

As for the slightly weaker ones.

Gu Zhi of [Shuang Chuan] (Frost River), by the side of Chen San, a councilor of the South Bay Group, was a good example. This title holder was injured while exploring the old world when he was young, and his strength continued to decline. Once the World Council bestowed a title, it would not be taken back. A titled transcendent of Gu Zhi's level could possibly lose to a fourth-tier transcendent.

"When will the final plan begin?"

Bai Xiu asked.

"I don't know. I'm just a pawn." The Red Dragon smiled. "I'm only responsible for listening to the Teacher. He's the real player... But that day shouldn't be too far away, right? Your time is very tight. By that day, you must at least cultivate to the level of the Rustbone General of North Continent."

"Hoo..."

Bai Xiu let out a breath and suddenly said, "Let's fight."

"???"

The Red Dragon looked stunned, but before he could speak, the boulder behind him suddenly cracked.

Crack!

Bai Xiu turned around, pressed one hand on the boulder, and in an instant, a ray of lightning spewed out from his palm, rapidly spreading along the cracks in the protruding boulder, and then splashing and shaking open!

"噼里啪啦!"

Countless dazzling white lights exploded on the snowfield. The figure in the red cloak on the other side of the boulder rolled away in a slightly comical manner. The Red Dragon pressed one hand on the ground to support himself. In a hasty glance, he saw that after the boulder shattered, the falling lightning like a waterfall swept toward him.

He didn't have any intention of taking action, just kept retreating, his posture as elegant as a swimming dragon. If you ignored the loud shouts, he could barely be considered calm and composed.

"Hey, hey, hey, do you have any martial ethics? Why do you attack without saying anything?!"

Bai Xiu's expression was calm.

Five years ago, the two had fought on Sangzhou Grotto Island... but at that time, he was suppressed by the Red Dragon!

Since Xiaoxiu debuted, he had never fought an evenly matched battle. As long as it was a battle between peers of the same rank, he had always won with overwhelming force!

Fighting the Red Dragon again would be a small wish fulfilled in these five years.

"It's not easy to see the deity himself. Isn't it a waste not to fight?"

Bai Xiu said indifferently, "Anyway, you've already broken through that realm... How about another fight?"

He reached out and made a grasping motion at the Red Dragon's location. In the next moment, the Lei Jie Xing Zhe (Thunder Realm Walker) materialized out of thin air and appeared behind the Red Dragon as he retreated.

The latter's pupils contracted. Seeing the fist thrown directly by the Lei Jie Xing Zhe (Thunder Realm Walker), he realized that Bai Xiu was serious, so he was forced to draw his saber.

"Boom!"

A loud explosion came from the sky above the snowfield, but the violent sound did not spread out.

Because Bai Xiu had already spread out his spirit, completely enveloping this area, ensuring that not a single trace of aura would be exposed.

A large amount of snow dust sizzled.

The Lei Jie Xing Zhe (Thunder Realm Walker) looked at his fist the size of a sandbag with dissatisfaction. It was stained with a ray of red lightning, which cut open the elementalized fist, making it difficult to heal and fuse in a short time.

On the other side... a gully nearly a hundred meters long was plowed out on the snowfield.

The Red Dragon held a short saber in one hand, deflecting it in front of his face, his waist slightly bent, using his legs to release the force, just maintaining this posture.

The short saber was not unsheathed.

"If you still hold a grudge about what happened five years ago, and you really want to beat me up now... then please do so."

The Red Dragon slowly straightened up, spread his arms, and looked at the tall Lei Jie Xing Zhe (Thunder Realm Walker) with composure, mockingly smiling, "Next, I will not take any defensive measures, nor will I launch a counterattack."

Once these words were spoken.

Bai Xiu naturally had no reason to continue fighting.

Xiaoxiu waved his hand and dispersed the [Lei Jie Xing Zhe] (Thunder Realm Walker). He knew that his attack was not abrupt. A top transcendent like the Red Dragon could predict danger in a fraction of a second. His previous intentions were very obvious, and the "speed" had already been slowed down... The reason for not saying hello was to prevent the current phenomenon from happening.

Deep in Bai Xiu's heart, he hoped to have a real fight with the Red Dragon.

He was a little disappointed. "You don't want to fight?"

"...No."

The Red Dragon put the short saber back into its sheath. He said helplessly, "If I remember correctly, I already said it five years ago... I didn't come here to fight. I fought you back then just to determine your realm and let you know that there is such a thing as "god-slaying." Now that we are allies, where is the need to fight again?"

Bai Xiu realized that the Red Dragon was a very purposeful person.

Or rather, the Red Dragon was a very lazy person. He would not consider anything outside of his plan.

This guy, under the name of the "Number One Divine Envoy of the Source Tower," was plotting the rebellious act of slaughtering gods and changing the heavens. He could be called the biggest traitor in the entire Central Continent!

"Fighting with you would cause me a lot of trouble."

The Red Dragon paused slightly and explained, "I don't want to return to Central Continent with injuries and attract attention. If you really want a result—"

"Just assume that I lost."

……

……

(Thank you to Jing Jing for the Golden Alliance! I'm starting to update like crazy! Jojo, I'm not human anymore!)