I Am Loaded with Passive Skills - Chapter 2176

Chapter 2051 Chapter 246 Three People

“Stop!”

A strange, heaven-like cry suddenly erupted from within Xu Xiao’s body.

Before Xu Ba and the others could react, an extremely weak force unfolded beneath their noses.

It attached itself to a fist-sized piece of gravel, which quickly began to deform, eventually solidifying into the form of the Celestial Spirit, Xiao Qi.

“Stop!”

Xiao Qi, a chubby little creature, looked terrified.

It didn’t dare to speak out in front of these two ancestral gods who had returned to zero, but it seemed as if it was pushed out to be the one to plead for mercy, so it could only beg:

“Xiao Qi still wants to live, and Dao Qiong Cang is also very pitiful.”

“Dao Qiong Cang has a trillion brains in his body, which is the foundation of his life, but after the sword of the Eight Ans, he also died with Sheng Xin.” “

He only has a memory imprint left, attached to Lord Xu Xiaoshou, and nothing else. He only brought Xiao Qi’s will.”

“Dao Qiong Cang is so poor that he only has Xiao Qi left. The two masters kept him, and he can no longer stir up trouble. But if Dao Qiong Cang is alive, he can provide you two masters with a lot of help.”

The voice of Dao Qiong Cang came out of Xu Xiaoshou’s body again: “Yes, yes, the two masters can really consider Xiao Qi’s heartfelt words seriously.”

The Eight Ans always turned a deaf ear to Dao Qiong Cang’s words, and it was impossible for them to influence Xiao Qi. They looked at Xu Xiaoshou and said:

“I don’t need Dao Qiongcang. You can judge for yourself as for what you said.”

Xiao Qi seemed to have received some message, and his face turned bitter, but he could only speak again: “Lady Yuegongnu suffered a lot in the cold prison, and it was Dao Qiongcang who took her out in the end.”

As soon as these words came out, Ba Zun’an’s face turned cold, and there was not only no emotion in his eyes, but more murderous intent.

Xiao Qi panicked, “I’m not trying to repay a favor, Master Ba Zun’an. I’m just speaking the truth.”

Dao Qiongcang, terrified, immediately spoke,

“I admit, I did have some calculations when I brought Yue Gong Nu out. I was balancing between the Saint Slave and the Demonic Medicine Demon Ancestor, wavering between the two, but I still lean more towards the Saint Slave.”

“You know, I’m just like that. I can’t go all-in like you do. I don’t have the fighting power, and I can’t afford to gamble.”

“In my sea of memories, there are many friends like Yan Wu Se and Ai Cang Sheng who need to be resurrected. I can’t selfishly decide their fate in advance, so I can only take the safest path.”

“Master Shou, you should understand what I mean.”

Xu Xiaoshou’s face was expressionless, as if he hadn’t heard these emotionally charged words.

Ba Zun’an turned a deaf ear to Dao Qiongcang, completely oblivious to his actions. No matter what cards he played, no matter if they truly touched him.

He’s not Xu Xiaoshou. Even if Void Island won one round of scheming, it was only that one win in all those years.

Eight Zun An was undeniably inferior to Dao Qiong Cang’s mastery of strategy.

Unable to completely control Dao Qiong Cang, if he still had a choice, he would naturally choose Dao Qiong Cang’s death.

Eight Zun An always knew he was just a sword, a cleverer version of a god, never a true leader or brains. He wasn’t on the same level as Dao Qiong Cang.

Therefore, after establishing the Saint Slave Order and becoming the head, he needed the assistance of Wuxiu and Shuigui.

While the latter two might be capable of playing the semi-saint game, they struggled mightily in the ancestral god game.

Xu Xiaoshou, however, was different!

His background was the same as Dao Qiong Cang’s: a dirty person.

What he lacked was experience and knowledge. Given enough time to grow, he could balance Dao Qiong Cang, hence the question he asked.

In reality, from Xu Xiaoshou’s hesitation in asking, Ba Zun’an could already tell that Xu Xiaoshou, deep down, didn’t want to kill Dao Qiongcang.

Ba Zun’an didn’t intend to delve into the specifics; he trusted Master Shou.

But if Master Shou asked for his opinion, he would be absolutely certain: kill him, no matter the reason.

“Master Shou~~~”

“But I’ve never done anything completely!”

Dao Qiongcang pleaded bitterly. Xiao Qi’s eyes were also red, knowing that if Dao died, it would be buried with him.

Xu Xiaoshou was never one to hesitate. When he asked Ba Zun’an for his opinion, he was actually questioning his true feelings.

After this topic was raised, Dao Qiongcang’s mournful words and Ba Zun’an’s unwavering conviction had already given Xu Xiaoshou a clear direction.

Kill him and then swiftly, what a delight!

To seize the Dao, one must touch Dao Qiongcang and imprison him in the Supreme Slashing Dimension, making him a slave and servant. That would also be delightful!

Yet, both are “extreme” choices, essentially forcing rebellion. Even after Dao Qiong Cang’s death or detention, who knows when, somewhere, in some dimension, another “Dao Qiong Cang” will emerge, silently growing and awaiting revenge.

Leaving Dao Qiong Cang aside, of the three currently within the Supreme Extreme Slashing Dimension, the only ones Xu Xiaoshou can confidently control are Wu Bao and Hua Changdeng. While

Chong Yin may appear to be a mere child, his rebellious nature is practically permeated throughout his body. How could Xu Xiaoshou not see that?

Given enough time and opportunity, this kind of person would inevitably seek to break free from the constraints of the Supreme Extreme Slashing Dimension.

Furthermore, unlike Zhan Zu and Hua Changdeng, Chong Yin’s dao and understanding of the techniques grant him the ability to break free from the Dao-stealing tendrils—the system is by no means invincible, merely a supplement.

This applies to Chong Yin, and to Dao Qiong Cang as well!

Someone imprisoned within the Supreme Extreme Slashing Dimension might be able to maintain control for ten thousand or a hundred thousand years, but not forever. Furthermore, they must constantly guard against thieves to prevent this person from joining forces with Chong Yin in a rebellion.

Having grown to this point, Xu Xiaoshou was confident he could confront Dao Qiongcang head-on. However, if he could control Dao Qiongcang, using this to hide underwater and then suddenly attack him, that would be troublesome.

“To be honest, I don’t want to kill you,”

Xu Xiaoshou said after a long moment of contemplation.

Ba Zun An didn’t seem to be acting out of character; he had known this all along.

On the other hand, Dao Qiongcang, who only had a memory imprint left, screamed in fear after hearing the sound, as if he heard Xu Xiaoshou’s “but”:

“No, Master Shou!”

“I know what you are thinking. I just want to live. For this, you can plant a slave mark in my body, and I will be your slave…”

Xu Xiaoshou sneered when he heard the sound: “Forget about the high-sounding words. Anyway, I can’t accept that someone else planted a slave mark on me. It will only make me want to rebel.”

Dao Qiongcang was suddenly speechless. Xiaoqi immediately took over the conversation, with an expression that he was seriously thinking about how to properly resolve this matter:

“Lord Xu Xiaoshou is right. ‘Planting slave marks’ is not advisable at all.”

“Not to mention that Dao Qiongcang already has many ways to break the slave mark. Now we are all ancestral gods. We can tolerate it today, but we may not be able to tolerate it tomorrow.”

“Xiaoqi does have a suggestion.”

Hearing this, Xu Ba and the other two looked at the small Celestial Spirit, wondering what Dao Qiong Cang was up to. Why did one person have to speak with two mouths? “You say,”

Xiao Qi bit her finger and said seriously, “Master Xu Xiaoshou spared Dao Qiong Cang. Dao Qiong Cang accepted this favor and, after using the Black Memory Mark to resurrect the people of the Xing Realm, he left the Holy Divine Continent. We parted ways, and from then on, we will not interfere with each other.”

Impossible…

Eight Zun An silently shook his head.

If Xu Xiaoshou didn’t want to kill Dao Qiong Cang, he wouldn’t have let him go. Instead

, he would have made use of him. His current concern was to find a proper way to check and balance Dao Qiong Cang while using him.

This method couldn’t be as extreme as the “Slave Seal,” which would make people feel deeply uncomfortable, but it still had to be as effective, allowing him to truly control Dao Qiong Cang when necessary.

It’s indeed troublesome…

It’s essentially a slave mark, and we have to maintain our dignity…

It’s better to kill him and put it all to rest, but killing Dao Qiong Cang doesn’t guarantee his death…

Ba Zun An is already starting to have a headache.

Compared to a dirty trick, he prefers direct combat. To put it bluntly, he’s just being Xu Xiaoshou’s sword.

“Dao Qiong Cang, what do you think?” Xu Xiaoshou asked the memory imprint.

“Not appropriate.”

“With your abilities, surely there’s a better way than what Xiao Qi suggested?”

“Not yet…”

Xu Xiaoshou completely doubted that Dao Qiong Cang didn’t have a better way to handle the situation. However, he knew Dao Qiong Cang knew he had no say at the moment, and Xiao Qi couldn’t dictate the outcome.

Ba Zun An, for his part, trusted only himself, and there were some things he could only say at this moment. Even if Dao Qiong Cang proposed the most perfect solution, whether it was appropriate or not, he would have to oppose it.

It was indeed troublesome!

But unlike Ba Zun An, Xu Xiaoshou was very adept at handling this kind of situation.

He pondered for a moment, as if finally arriving at an answer. He smiled and said, “Then I do have a somewhat immature suggestion…”

Phew!

Ba Zun An secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his figure dimming considerably. He could barely hold on and had to leave.

“Master, please speak,” Dao Qiong Cang spoke immediately, nearly bursting into tears. After all this waiting, the moment of judgment had finally arrived.

“This will be unfair to you…”

“No! No!”

“I can’t bear it…”

“Master, please don’t keep me in suspense. My heart is in agony. Please tell me the truth!”

“Very well, let’s be frank. I need you very much.” Xu Xiaoshou’s expression changed, and he said solemnly, “You can live, but from now on, you must ‘diligently practice the ancient sword art.'”

This…

Xiao Qi was slightly stunned, as if waiting for the next part.

Dao Qiong Cang seemed also bewildered, as if he didn’t understand what was going on.

If Ba Zun An knew, he would have been the slowest to react among the four. But after a moment’s reflection, he understood.

Brilliant!

If Dao Qiongcang diligently cultivates the ancient sword art, just as Sheng Xin uses the Holy Dao to refine his spirit to counterbalance Kui Leihan, Ba Zun’an is absolutely certain that Dao Qiongcang cannot surpass them, and they can always find and influence him through the sword art.

Xu Xiaoshou doesn’t need to intervene here.

The only parties in the direct balance of power are Ba Zun’an and Dao Qiongcang.

However, Ba Zun’an is fundamentally different from Sheng Xin. He doesn’t mind having someone standing shoulder to shoulder with him at the end of the Dao. In

fact, Xu Xiaoshou was his mentor throughout his journey. Dao Qiongcang understands this, and therefore doesn’t need to worry about being stabbed by Ba Zun’an for cultivating the ancient sword art.

If Dao Qiongcang ever becomes concerned, or suddenly and inexplicably abandons the ancient sword art he has painstakingly cultivated, it would be a sign of rebellion, and Ba Zun’an would be free to act without hesitation.

Given the trust between Xu and Ba Zun, Ba Zun’an doesn’t even need to ask for the right to “act first, report later”—he knows Xu Xiaoshou’s inner thoughts share this sentiment.

Use the Dao to control the Dao, the sword to control others, and the sword to be my friend.

The phrase “diligently practice the ancient sword art” ties the trio of Xu, Ba, and Dao into a perfect, stable triangle, balancing each other, yet with Xu Xiaoshou as its leader, possessing a veto.

It’s not about withholding lives,

but about executing them slowly, waiting for a genuine sign of rebellion.

It’s not about reusing Dao Qiongcang without considering the consequences, but about slowly simmering his energy, allowing his essence to be brewed into a broth for everyone, including Dao Qiongcang himself. Rather than a direct, intense clash between Xu Xiaoshou and Dao Qiongcang, two wicked individuals, leading to mutual suspicion and jealousy, a buffer variable, a trustworthy and righteous individual, is introduced to prevent Dao Qiongcang from harboring the potential for rebellion after his fortunes improve.

One plus one plus one equals three!

This strategy is supremely ingenious!

The look Ba Zun’an gave Xu Xiaoshou became incredibly captivating. He had always believed in the benefits of “calculation,” and today, as Xu Xiaoshou, he’d directly demonstrated it, and his calculations were directed at Dao Qiongcang!

If Dao Qiongcang weren’t stupid, he’d have seen that a threesome would be ten thousand times more effective than acting alone.

In this scenario, Dao Qiongcang would have simultaneously possessed Xu Xiaoshou and Ba Zun’an, his two right-hand men.

He’d have laughed out loud in his dreams. Losing Gou, gaining Xu Ba—how could it be a blessing?

Ba Zun’an would have laughed too. Not only would he have Xu Xiaoshou, but he’d also have Dao Qiongcang, a man devoted and devoted to his service.

Xu Xiaoshou laughed even more. “Eight as the sword, Dao as the brain, hands-off management—wasn’t that just around the corner?

” “Master Shou!!!”

A passionate, tearing cry suddenly erupted from Xu Xiaoshou’s throat. If Dao Qiongcang had taken human form, he’d have leaped to his feet by now.

He couldn’t contain his excitement at hearing that sound, his voice so forceful it seemed like he was feigning it:

“Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!”

“I can practice the ancient swordsmanship, of course I can!”

“To be honest, I’ve already practiced it. I gave it up before because I was afraid the Eighth Venerable would use the Dao to control me. After all, he never believed in me.”

“But this time, with Master Shou guaranteeing me, how could I not practice this ancient swordsmanship? Not only will I practice it, I’ll also master the sword. Please teach me, my Lords!”

Xu Xiaoshou’s lips twitched. The showy old Taoist was a bit too abstract.

But even he admired his own wild and imaginative ideas.

There was no need to worry if Dao Qiongcang was faking it.

If he could fake benevolence and righteousness forever, he would be a truly good person.

Moreover, Dao Qiongcang had implicitly granted the three-person team everything he wanted. Such a favorable offer was unbelievable, and the frivolous old Taoist couldn’t resist.

“But I also have a request,”

Dao Qiongcang suddenly calmed down. “After all, Master Shou has said before that this plan essentially puts me at the mercy of others. Xiaoqi also happened to mention that we are all ancestral gods, and the problem isn’t the lack of power, but the inequality.”

Oh wow!

So that’s where Xiaoqi’s role lies? So

from the beginning, this frivolous old Taoist had been playing this game, hiding his suffering in one hand and using Qingju in the other, right?

Xu Xiaoshou wasn’t afraid of Dao Qiongcang’s outbursts, but rather worried that he might hold back and stab him in the back. He nodded immediately,

“Speak.”

Dao Qiongcang had already prepared a plan, and without further ado, he said, “You two can’t restrict my freedom.”

Xu Xiaoshou immediately thought of the absolute freedom granted to him by the Eight Zun An when they invited him to join the Holy Slave in the White Cave.

The Eight Zun An all possessed tolerance, so why wouldn’t he?

“Yes.”

“And because I’m so weak, if I really encounter any direct combat trouble and ask for your assistance, please do your best to help,” Dao Qiongcang said sincerely. Xu

Xiaoshou smiled. “When haven’t I helped you?”

Dao Qiongcang didn’t respond. As if with invisible eyes, he moved towards Ba Zun’an.

Ba Zun’an laughed dumbly, pointed at Xu Xiaoshou, and said casually,

“What you mean, Master Shou, is what I, Ba Zun’an, mean.”

“Compliment, passive value +1.” Xu Xiaoshou couldn’t help but smile. ”   What are you doing? How come after a trip to the Time Realm, you’ve learned these flattering skills?” He   suddenly suppressed his mouth.   Every time this old man complimented, it was always bad news!   ”Anything else?” “No more.” Dao

Qiongcang   couldn’t hide his joy. “Master Shou, to be honest, after paying the friendship fee, I’ve been waiting for you to say this for half a year.”   ”Compliment, passive value +1.”   Dao Qiongcang’s compliments were unpleasant.   Xu Xiaoshou ignored him. After finishing his conversation, he looked at Ba Zun’an.   Ba Zun’an had only come in disguise, about to give up and leave. Before leaving, he’d clearly had something to say to him, and he, too, happened to have something important to say to him.   ”Yes!”   Dao Qiongcang jumped, then suddenly screamed, “Sorry, I forgot. There’s something very important I didn’t mention. If you two can’t agree, then just kill me.”   Ba Zun’an frowned.   Xu Xiaoshou’s tone also lost its temper: “Do you believe I’ll really kill you?”   ”Sorry, sorry, but I really must tell you this. I’ll tell you even if it means risking my life. Master Shou, give me a chance.”   ”Tell me!”   The frivolous old Taoist thought for a moment, then spoke cautiously, “Master Shou, Master Ba, should we keep this complicated relationship between the three of us secret, or should we make it known to the world?”   Ba   Zun’an’s face darkened, and he almost turned around and left.   Xu Xiaoshou now regretted suggesting “striving to practice the ancient sword art” and was about to open his mouth to curse.   ”It’s very important, this is very important!” Dao Qiongcang spoke first.   Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath, hearing the hidden meaning behind the frivolous Taoist’s words. He narrowed his eyes and said, “For now, keep it secret.”   Ba Zun’an’s expression shifted, and he also understood.   The frivolous Taoist chuckled softly, then spoke again in a serious tone, “So, how long do Master Shou and Master Ba plan to maintain this complicated relationship between the three of us?”   Ba   Zun’an felt a slight headache.   Xu Xiaoshou had already taken the topic seriously, no matter how frivolous Dao Qiongcang’s behavior, “At least, after meeting Nuo.”   Nuo…   Ba Zun’an’s mind flashed back to a time and space, a title often mentioned by various ancestral gods and lords, a name that was praised with endless praise.   Dao Qiongcang hummed, “Then my final request is that there can only be three of us three. Not one less, not one more.”   Xu Xiaoshou raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.   Dao Qiongcang spoke again, “Each one is indispensable. You two understand. One more is not acceptable…”   He paused, then said seriously,   ”Let me be frank. I cannot tolerate Shen Yi, Cao Yihan, Yu Zhiwen, Yue Gongnu, or anyone else interfering in the relationship between the three of us in any way, directly or indirectly.”   ”Furthermore, through direct or indirect means, you cannot influence my judgment through speech or means driven by emotion or lacking rationality.”   ”Is this acceptable to you two?”   Dao Qiongcang, with his trillion-strong celestial brain, could not calculate the variable of emotion. He had tried to use emotion to deduce the overall outcome, but the results were always unsatisfactory.   He could accept rational thinking, but he could not predict when normal people like Xu Xiaoshou and Ba Zun’an would become ill, so he could only prevent it before it happened.   When intelligent people communicate, they never need to finish their words.   Xu Xiaoshou looked at Ba Zun’an, who looked back. The moment their eyes met, they both understood each other’s intentions.   ”Yes.”   ”Okay!”   Dao Qiongcang completely let go, his words becoming more i*imate. “Then from now on, the three of us are inseparable, close friends, right, my Xu, and Xiao Ba~” As   soon as these words left his mouth, Xu Xiaoshou felt his face flush.   He and Dao Qiongcang had always been good friends, but he had never expected him to act so flirtatious in front of the Eight Zun An. It was astonishing!   ”Such a wonderful ‘threesome’ will surely resound throughout the universe after reaching the Xingtian Realm. I think we should give us a name. What do you two think?” The frivolous Taoist priest had already begun to ponder the topic of names.   He had thought the Eight Zun An would collapse and disband prematurely.   Xu Xiaoshou, however, had underestimated him. Lao Ba, having already experienced the frivolous Taoist priest’s baptism, didn’t take it to heart. He even echoed,   ”Master Shou, that’s exactly what I came here to tell you.”   Huh?   You want to give the threesome a nickname, too?   Soon, Xu Xiaoshou realized he had misjudged himself. The Eight Lords were indeed serious about business:   ”The Holy Slave has fulfilled its mission. There is no need for it to exist anymore.”   ”Master Shou, I have prepared a sword message for you to convey to the other Holy Slaves. From now on, the Holy Slave is officially disbanded.” (End of this chapter)