Xu Xiaoshou didn't return to his new place. He went to the library instead.
The token opened the barrier, and he was only able to feel secure after arriving on the third floor.
"Zhang Xinxiong…"
He'd thought those people would've called it quits for a while, yet they hadn't even bothered waiting an entire day before trying again after the assassination attempt last night failed.
As for whether Zhao Shu had indeed come to kill him just to get the slot to the Tianxuan Gate and ended up being used by Yuan Tou, that no longer mattered.
One way or another, he wasn't going to let those who were out to kill him walk away alive.
"It's a pity I can't go back to my own place.
"Looks like I'll be sleeping at the library for the next three days, then."
Xu Xiaoshou was feeling rather exasperated, as, after that fight, he'd basically learned where he stood in terms of power levels.
He knew that while he could probably do away with one of the 33 if he were to go all out, he also knew that things would get very difficult if he had to deal with those veterans.
That man called Zhao Shu had almost killed him with just his control abilities and cold attacks.
Xu Xiaoshou decided to hunker down for once and hide in the library for three days.
He knew that he had to make a breakthrough into [Innate Level] while being in the Tianxuan Gate.
And he also knew that he probably wouldn't stand a chance if they sent another assassin after him.
…
Noon the next day.
Elder Sang came to the third floor of the library and was startled to find a man covered in blood lying on the ground. It took him a moment to realize that the man was Xu Xiaoshou. He then went on to kick him up.
"Didn't I tell you to find your own place and get on with alchemy elsewhere?
"What the h*ll are you doing here?"
He was rather startled to find that the kid had blood all over him, feeling rather lucky that the kid had gotten himself blown up rather than the library.
Xu Xiaoshou gradually woke up and immediately became furious when he saw the old man.
"So you snatched a slot to enter the Tianxuan Gate from someone else?" he asked.
Elder Sang immediately realized what had happened to the kid after hearing this. "So, all that blood resulted not from Alchemy but from someone trying to kill you, eh?" he thought.
"There's a limited number of slots to enter the Tianxuan Gate. You getting one naturally meant that someone had to lose theirs. It's a given fact, and completely normal.
"This world has a limited number of resources. With every step you take toward further growth from here on out, you'll end up walking over someone, either directly or indirectly. Better get used to it."
Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath. The old fart was making so much sense and the words were so deeply rooted in reality that he had no rebuttal.
"So, someone took revenge on you?" Elder Sang then chuckled.
"I'll tell you the truth. When the slots to enter the Tianxuan Gate were announced last night, Ye Xiaotian initially had no intentions of dropping your name.
"But then I figured your involvement would be exposed sooner or later, and it's not like you got the slot through some shady deals or whatever, so I just blurted it out in front of everyone.
"That guy came looking for you?"
Xu Xiaoshou flicked his bloodied clothing and rolled his eyes. "Duh!"
"Well, it's a good thing you didn't end up dead. Keep up the good work. If you get the chance, you could retaliat…"
"He's dead."
Elder Sang's eyebrow twitched. He was somewhat surprised.
The way he saw it, just Xu Xiaoshou escaping unscathed from the ordeal without getting killed was a job well done, but he'd actually managed to kill the assailant?
"Are you sure you killed one of the Inner Yard Thirty-three?"
"Yeah.
"Two came. I killed one."
Elder Sang felt like he had to put more pressure on the kid, as he wouldn't be able to clearly understand this kid's potential if he didn't.
"How do you feel about that?"
"He shouldn't have died…" Xu Xiaoshou shook his head, his face deadpan. "But those out to kill shall expect to get killed. I feel pity for him, but nothing more than that."
The corners of Elder Sang's mouth twitched. This kid had finally become immune to killing people.
"The kid might not show it, but he's learned a lot and changed a lot with me being hard on him," he thought.
"That's not good enough," he said. "You'll have truly grown when you no longer feel pity for him."
Xu Xiaoshou snickered. "But if I no longer pitied him, wouldn't that mean I'd no longer have sentimentality?"
"Sentimentality…" he mused. "That's a word I haven't heard in a long time."
Elder Sang's expression was rather sad as he lifted his hat and rubbed the top of his head hard. He then put the hat back on his head and said, "After you've touched the Great Path, you'll know just how fickle human nature can be."
"Great Path?" Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.
"We'll leave that for another day…"
Elder Sang waved his hand dismissively. He didn't want to put too much pressure on the kid just yet. It was a good thing for young people to be passionate, and he knew when to just let the kid develop on his own without him meddling.
But there were times when pressure was necessary. He'd never thought the so-called 33 would be so unbearable. And the spirit palace seemed to have decayed more than he'd expected it to.
He turned his gaze to outside the window, and there was a reminiscing look on his face as he asked, "Do you know what makes a true genius?"
Xu Xiaoshou was stunned and answered doubtfully, "Xu Xiaoshou?"
Elder Sang's reminiscing was immediately cut off right then and there. His eyelid started twitching, and veins looked like they were about to pop out of his forehead he was so irked.
"Very well," he said. "Very confident. So, you think you're a genius?"
Xu Xiaoshou recalled his past experiences. He was confident that he would be able to break into Innate Level in less than a month, yet a lot of the others were still stuck at level eight or nine and had been for two to three years.
Even if he didn't compare to those from the spirit palace, his rate of progress had to be exceedingly rare, if not something that only happened once in a lifetime.
Xu Xiaoshou took to becoming a little more polite. "Half a genius, I guess."
"What do you think of Su Qianqian, then?"
Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. He knew of the legend of the little girl. Breaking into [Innate Level] at the age of 13, acquiring [Innate Sword Will] at the age of 14. An exception was made for her and she was given entrance into the Inner Yard after just a little over a month. She was as formidable as they come.
"One-tenth of a genius, then… There's no comparison here." It was quite a blow.
"You once said that you'd set your sights on the five regions. Where do you think Su Qianqian's potential would stand when compared to those from the rest of the five regions?"
Xu Xiaoshou didn't know how to answer that. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called myself a genius. I apologize."
Elder Sang was rather pleased. He turned around and said, "Her potential would actually still be a cut above the rest when compared to the rest of the continent."
Xu Xiaoshou was relieved that that was the case. He'd been afraid the old fart would say something like "she's a pile of sh**," "she's trash," and the likes. That really would've been a blow like no other.
"But then again, just a cut above the rest. There are still many others with the same level of potential." Elder Sang's words were startling.
He then continued, "The best among the geniuses acknowledged by all from the five regions weren't all that far from you. That person was around just 30 years ago."
"Acknowledged by all?"
Xu Xiaoshou was perceptive enough to catch these key words. His eyes were still filled with disbelief. "Acknowledged by all in the continent, you say?" he thought.
"What a joke!"
"Stronger than those others in history then, eh?" he asked.
Elder Sang's lips parted, and he actually nodded. "He was indeed stronger than those others in history.
"The most formidable of geniuses acknowledged by all throughout the five regions, who hailed from the eastern region's Holy Sword Land. He, too, was a swordsman like you.
"He wandered for many years and began his journey on cultivation when he was 18. He managed to shock the world when he first picked up the sword.
"It took mere moments for him to reach Innate Level, and he became sword deity in three years, reaching a height that others dedicate their entires lives to obtain and never reach when he was only 21.
"Go out and look for any swordsman out there. I'd guarantee you 100 percent that there's none who couldn't tell you stories about him."
He took back his sad expression and, noting the shocked look on Xu Xiaoshou's face, he rectified his words. "99 percent."
Xu Xiaoshou was truly shocked. "You call that a genius?" he thought. "That's a frickin' monster, alright!
"Mere moments to reach [Innate Level]? Became a sword deity in three years?
"Aren't there only seven sword deities throughout the entire continent? How did he manage to do that?"
He glanced at the red interface in his mind, feeling rather shaky. "Just look at that guy, eh?" he told it. "And you call yourself a System?
He suppressed the utter shock he was feeling deep down and asked, "Who is this person?"
"The eighth sword deity, Bazhun'an."