Chapter 1009: Lingyin Melting Plum

A secret document from the Sword Holders in Yinghuang Province was urgently dispatched to Fenghai County.

Upon receiving this secret document, the Sword Holder Palace in Fenghai County immediately dispatched powerful Sword Holders to Yinghuang Province and simultaneously reported the matter to Xu Qing.

"Twenty days ago, the Taisi Immortal Sect in Yinghuang Province issued a warrant for their disciple, Li Zimei, informing the entire province that she had become demonic, was no longer human, and had massacred fellow disciples with extreme cruelty!"

"After that, she fled, and the Taisi Immortal Sect pursued her for ten days!"

"Within those ten days, dozens of small teams from the Taisi Immortal Sect were mostly annihilated!"

"Along the way, this woman encountered Qingqiu, a Sword Holder from our Yinghuang Province Sword Holder Department who was on an outdoor mission. For unknown reasons, the two got into a conflict and disappeared in the Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone!"

The Sacred Heaven Pagoda, fully crafted by the Seven Blood Eyes, traversed the forbidden sea, crossing the inner sea in just one day to arrive in Yinghuang Province. Inside the pagoda, Xu Qing, sitting cross-legged, received this secret document from the Sword Holder Department.

"Qingqiu..."

Xu Qing withdrew his spiritual consciousness from the jade slip, and in his mind, the image of that little girl from the scavenger camp years ago resurfaced, along with their past interactions in the Sword Holder Department. He also recalled her persistence.

As for the other name, Xu Qing also had some impression: it was a woman from the Seven Blood Eyes who bore some resemblance to Qingqiu. She had a somewhat timid personality but possessed extremely strong self-esteem. She was later taken in by the Taisi Immortal Sect, and once, on the Myriad Ages River of Immortal Imbuement, their gazes met. At that time, Li Zimei was about to receive a heritage. Afterwards, Xu Qing traveled to Fenghai County, and they lost touch.

He never expected to hear about her again under such circumstances.

"The Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone..."

Xu Qing glanced at the sleeping Ling'er. As he pondered, Old Nine, standing nearby, spoke indifferently.

"You have something you need to deal with."

Xu Qing looked at Grandfather Nine.

"I received a secret document from the Sword Holder Department. Two acquaintances have gone missing in the Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone."

Hearing this, Old Nine's gaze swept over Ling'er, while Er Niu, standing beside him, spoke first.

"That tiny Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone, just destroy it! Who went missing there?"

"Qingqiu!"

Xu Qing said calmly.

"Qingqiu, the one who fought us for the Nether Essence treasure, who later became a Sword Holder, and that maid who went with us to the Holy Ocean Domain... I remember her now! She liked to carry a scythe, and there was a tool spirit in it. She was also a perverse woman with the Blood Realm artistic conception."

Er Niu thought for a moment and immediately recalled who Xu Qing was talking about, then his expression turned into a half-smile.

"Who's the other one?"

"Li Zimei!"

Xu Qing replied.

"Li Zimei? I don't remember her!"

Er Niu searched his memories but couldn't recall who Li Zimei was. Clearly, to him, Li Zimei had been an obscure figure, both in the Seven Blood Eyes and the Taisi Immortal Sect.

At this moment, Old Nine withdrew his gaze from the sleeping Ling'er and spoke indifferently.

"A forbidden zone won't take much time. Go if you wish."

Xu Qing nodded and steered the Sacred Heaven Pagoda. It soared over the Eight Sect Alliance in Yinghuang Province, heading directly for the distant mountain range.

That mountain range was composed of undulating, massive black peaks of varying heights, continuous and extending deep into Yinghuang Province with no end in sight. From a distance, it resembled the corpse of a gigantic beast, dark and hazy, as if hiding demons and monsters, exuding an utterly sinister aura. Furthermore, countless sinister forests, malevolent trees, and strange entities permeated its depths.

This was Yinghuang Province's Taisi Misfortune Mountain Range. Where this mountain range met the sea, one side bordered the Eight Sect Alliance, while the other, within Yinghuang Province, was the once notorious Three Spirits Suppressing Dao Mountain.

At this moment, the pagoda carrying Xu Qing sped rapidly, and the moment it appeared in mid-air above Taisi Misfortune Mountain, it suddenly paused.

From the direction of Three Spirits Suppressing Dao, two figures, one tall and one short, appeared, gazing at the pagoda with uncertainty and astonishment. The tall figure was emaciated like dry wood, resembling a massive skeleton, yet its bony back swelled up like a small mountain. Upon closer inspection, the bulging "small mountain" was revealed to be a huge tumor, permeated with blue and red blood vessels—a shocking sight, as if the tumor had consumed all the flesh and blood from his entire body.

The short figure beside him was a dwarf. This dwarf wore a black robe, had tiny eyes, a protruding forehead, and eyebrows that drooped down to his cheeks. His chin was deeply recessed, and his mustache, after parting in an inverted V-shape, curled inwards at the ends, resembling a pair of fangs. Around them, tendrils of black mist transformed into centipedes, continuously coiling and crawling, emitting harsh, trembling hisses.

Evidently, the appearance and suspension of the Sacred Heaven Pagoda, along with the immense pressure emanating from it, caused these two figures to tremble violently. It wasn't until Xu Qing's figure emerged from the pagoda and met their gaze that these two immense spectral figures finally relaxed. Then, a strong light appeared in their eyes as they each bowed deeply towards Xu Qing.

They were precisely the Celestial Soul: Fetal Radiance and the Earth Soul: Decisive Yang. Years ago, Xu Qing had borrowed their power to suppress the Corpse Curse, promising them that he would, in the future, help them sever their ties with the Ghost Emperor and achieve complete freedom.

"I have not forgotten my promise. When I reach the Spirit Nurturing stage, I will come here to fulfill it." Xu Qing spoke in a low voice.

Hearing this, the Celestial Soul and Earth Soul felt a surge of emotions. Although they hadn't directly witnessed Xu Qing's entire rise, they had seen it firsthand at two critical junctures. The first time they met, Xu Qing and Er Niu were two little thieves who had secretly come to steal Nether Essence garments. With their cultivation at that time, any one of the Three Souls could have annihilated them with a raised hand. The second time they met, Xu Qing came with Qing Qin, asking the Celestial and Earth Souls for their help.

At that time, Xu Qing had already shown signs of rising, so the Celestial Soul decided to make a casual move, a "loose chess piece." However, to the Celestial Soul, it was just a casual move, and he was uncertain whether it would prove useful in the future. But they never imagined that after that, Xu Qing would continuously advance, leaving Fenghai, entering Sacrifice Moon, subduing Holy Ocean, and going to the Imperial Capital...

Until now, he was not only the lord of two domains but also the Human Race's Crown Prince's Grand Tutor and the Xuan-Moon Great Heaven, renowned throughout the Eastern Realm of Wanggu! For him alone, a sacred land had fallen! All of this exceeded their imagination. Xu Qing had reached a height they now had to strive to look up to.

And now, today... their third encounter! They lowered their heads and respectfully bowed.

The casual move had become a great fortune.

Xu Qing gazed at the two souls, then spoke no more words, turning and walking into the pagoda. The next instant, the pagoda shone brightly, dispelling the darkness of Taisi Misfortune Mountain and illuminating the area. Then, the pagoda sped away.

For a while, the Celestial Soul and Earth Soul finally raised their heads, gazing into the distance, the ripples in their hearts unable to settle for a long time.

"Among the various prodigies in Wanggu's history, how many could truly surpass him?" The Celestial Soul murmured.

The sky and earth grew dim as the twilight of that day slowly descended.

In the afterglow of twilight, as the Sacred Heaven Pagoda advanced, a vast, towering river appeared in Xu Qing's sight.

Yinghuang Province has one mountain and one river. The mountain is Taisi Misfortune Mountain, and the river is the Myriad Ages River of Immortal Imbuement. This majestic ancient river was as wide as a sea, its waters surging, roaring, and rolling with waves. The immortal spirit energy was dense within it. It flowed in from an outer province, passed through the Taisi Immortal Sect in eastern Yinghuang Province, then pierced through Taisi Misfortune Mountain, flowed into the Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone, and finally merged into the great sea at its western end.

At this moment, at the junction of this ancient river and Taisi Misfortune Mountain, the Sacred Heaven Pagoda swept past, following the river directly towards... the Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone!

The Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone was split in two by the Myriad Ages River of Immortal Imbuement. Before the clear river water flowed into the forbidden zone, the immortal spirit energy was dense, capable of cleansing, to some extent, the alien substances within all living beings. However, after flowing into this forbidden zone, its clarity vanished, and it flowed out as dark, turbid water. It was invaded and polluted by the forbidden zone's alien substances.

However, all things exist in a state of relative cause and effect. It was precisely because this ancient river, brimming with immortal spirit energy, continuously flowed into the Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone, cleansing its alien substances, that for all these years, at the cost of its own defilement, it prevented the Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone from expanding. Although it was a forbidden zone, it was still inferior compared to the Corpse Curse on the sea. It was even less potent than South Phoenix Province.

As for the Forbidden Zone Lord within, the Spirit Resonance Emperor, though occasionally awakened, could still be sealed and forced back into slumber with the combined might of Yinghuang Province. After all, even if a Forbidden Zone Emperor were to die, as long as the forbidden zone remained, a new emperor would eventually emerge. Therefore, compared to a strange emperor, the Spirit Resonance Lord was more familiar to Yinghuang Province. Thus, both sides always maintained a relationship without excessive friction.

Until today, the Spirit Resonance Forbidden Zone faced a catastrophe.

At the moment the twilight's afterglow was about to fade, in the hazy world, a nine-story pagoda shimmering with seven-colored light, carrying an ancient, primordial aura and terrifying oppressive power, descended above the forbidden zone. The instant it appeared, Xu Qing emerged from the pagoda, standing in mid-air. The afterglow could obscure all things, but falling upon him, it couldn't blur him in the slightest. His body was straight, his figure clear, and his gaze profound.

He spoke indifferently. "Lord of this forbidden zone, come out and see me!"

The moment these words were uttered, the entire forbidden zone suddenly burst forth with countless sounds. There was the sound of wind, the rustling of leaves, the dripping of water, the squelch of ground marshes... Countless sounds, encompassing all things and all existence within the forbidden zone, uncontrollably erupted at that instant. Every single sound was within Xu Qing's sound authority, every single noise within his divine perception. All sounds emanating from within this forbidden zone, at this moment, did not belong to the forbidden zone itself. They belonged to Xu Qing. They gathered, merging into the nine words he spoke, making those words shake heaven and earth, reverberating through everything. Under his sound authority, the forbidden zone had no choice but to submit.

Countless images and perceptions instantly appeared before Xu Qing. He saw everything inside, and he also saw... Li Zimei's figure deep within the forbidden zone! She was planted inside a strange tree, her long hair hanging down, her eyes closed, but her expression was ferocious, pervaded with malevolent energy. Her aura was very strange, almost merging with the forbidden zone itself.

It was precisely at this moment, the instant the entire forbidden zone came under Xu Qing's control...

Li Zimei, planted in the tree with only her head visible, suddenly opened her closed eyes, revealing a dense bloody glow and unleashing terrifying malevolence. Her originally delicate face, now ferocious, was permeated with black blood vessels that formed a ghastly totem, as she looked towards Xu Qing.

This scene made Xu Qing sigh inwardly. He recalled the farewell letter Li Zimei had left for him before she departed. Past memories clearly surfaced in his mind.

"Senior Brother Xu Qing, everything is well with me at the Taisi Immortal Sect..."

"I am about to participate in an enlightenment ceremony of the Taisi Immortal Sect... If successful, my personality might change a bit!"

"I don't know if I can succeed, nor what I will become... but I don't want to continue being cowardly!"

"Senior Brother Xu Qing, finally, I sincerely wish you well. I hope you become better, always better, and stay well forever!"

"Li Zimei!"