Chapter 1041: Backed by a Red Candle

Xu Qing's understanding of divinity was limited, yet he had encountered it frequently, both by possessing it himself and by sensing it in other deities. He had also conducted some personal research on the subject.

He knew that divinity, unlike primal essence, was far more ancient and was a power unique to deities. It could influence all things, affect all living beings, and cover the entire starry sky, including the thirty-six star rings. This was, after all, the universe of deities.

Divinity also had two levels: shared access and exclusive possession. The former meant multiple deities shared a specific divinity, often in a competitive manner. Only by devouring or plundering other deities who possessed the same divinity could one reach the second level and become the sole master of a particular divinity. Based on Xu Qing's original understanding, achieving this level would require at least true godhood.

Previously, Xu Qing believed that divinity didn't have varying strengths, but rather differed in the degree of control and its scope. Scope was the key aspect of divinity. However, in that very instant, this understanding was shaken within Xu Qing's mind. At that moment, the special divinity woven from three strands of divine power radiated an incredibly terrifying aura, surpassing everything else and reaching an extreme level of dread. It was powerful enough for him to easily perceive the distinction between strong and weak levels.

Xu Qing didn't know what this divinity was. He could only make a rough judgment based on the characteristics associated with luck, misfortune, and the Purple Moon. But clearly, this was not the time for exploration. As the candle flame erupted and his physical body sank onto the wick, just as he was about to extinguish the red candle…

Within Xu Qing's Sea of Consciousness, the backlash from the red candle's flame was immense, raging with a furious intensity. This fire was compelled to burn the three strands of divine power because Xu Qing had woven them into an unfamiliar divinity and wrapped it around his soul to resist the candle flame. Despite this, the residual heat continued to scorch Xu Qing's soul. The number of his soul threads dwindled rapidly, until fewer than ten thousand remained.

Outside, he had lost all his clothing, and his crimson body was fully seated on the wick. As he settled, a colossal, world-shattering roar echoed deafeningly throughout the entire Boundary Source Secret Realm! The candle flame extinguished.

At that instant, the fire within Xu Qing's Sea of Consciousness vanished. On the scarred barren land, the unfamiliar divinity woven from the three strands of divine power also underwent a massive transformation. From a state where they couldn't merge, they had actually fused by about ten percent during the previous scorching by the flames. A vast divine aura surged within, sweeping through Xu Qing's entire Sea of Consciousness.

Outside, a dramatic change also occurred the moment the candle flame went out. The lingering light faded, and all the stars vanished simultaneously. Whether they were the collapsing stars he had seen with his naked eye or the images formed under the Eye of Shadow, all were erased in that instant. Along with them, the shadows also disappeared, dissipating like smoke as the candle flame extinguished. It was as if all this illusion, no longer sustained by the candle flame, had become a thing of the past. The entire world plunged into darkness. It seemed even the Boundary Source Secret Realm itself had vanished at that moment.

A long while later, Xu Qing, who had been sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his weary and bloodshot eyes. The weakness of his soul caused him to feel dizzy. What he saw was utter darkness. He couldn't see far or near; this lightless world was void, even when he gazed with his divine eyes. Even the candle beneath him was nowhere to be found. Only a sense of surviving a catastrophe arose in Xu Qing's heart.

"The candle flame is out, the lingering images are gone!" Xu Qing murmured. He raised his hand and touched his sleeve, feeling the mask, and a slight sense of relief filled his heart. This item was still there.

Xu Qing didn't want to linger here. He wasn't sure if the candle flame would reappear soon, or if everything in the secret realm would restore itself in the next moment. So, he quickly took out the secret realm token, preparing to activate his return.

But just then, Xu Qing's expression suddenly changed, and he spun around sharply. Behind him was nothing but void and darkness. Yet, Xu Qing's heart was extremely vigilant. At that moment, he vaguely felt the vanished candle seemed to have reappeared.

"No, that's not right." Xu Qing swiftly raised his right hand and pressed it against his naked back. The different sensation on his fingertips sent a ripple through his mind. The red candle had indeed not truly disappeared. For some reason, it had been imprinted onto Xu Qing's back, covering it entirely, like a tattoo, in his perception. Fortunately, his inspection revealed that the candle on his back was in an extinguished state.

Xu Qing frowned, numerous conjectures rising in his mind, as he simultaneously squeezed the token. But! The token still didn't react at all! Before, the token had reacted, only to be interrupted by the red candle's light. But now, it truly seemed to have lost all connection with the Boundary Source Secret Realm, becoming utterly useless.

"Boundary Source Secret Realm!" Xu Qing's heart sank. He squeezed it again, continuing to try.

Meanwhile, outside the Boundary Source Secret Realm, astonishing changes were erupting the moment the candle flame extinguished. The first change occurred with the massive jade slip where the Boundary Source Secret Realm was located. This slip, which had originally glowed brilliantly, now dimmed instantly. As it dimmed, the surrounding land seemed to lose its nourishment, becoming parched and cracked. Cracks spread across the basin, and even some nearby mountain ranges inexplicably collapsed, sending rubble tumbling down. It was as if the spiritual energy had been drained. Consequently, the seal around the jade slip dispersed, allowing external cultivators to clearly see its location, even without holding a secret realm token.

Thus, astonishment spread among the Demon Feather cultivators who had been residing nearby, cultivating with the spiritual energy of the area. Their minds reeled as they opened their eyes, filled with shock and bewilderment. "The spiritual energy here has vanished." "The Boundary Source Secret Realm's seal is also dissipating." "What's going on?"

Amidst the commotion among the onlookers, Lü Lingzi, who was sitting cross-legged in the main hall on the summit of the Tenth Dominator Mountain, suddenly opened his eyes at that moment, his brows instantly furrowed. Silently, his divine sense spread out, directly enveloping the location of the Boundary Source Secret Realm, pressing down upon it. Immediately, the space around the Boundary Source Secret Realm solidified, sealing off everything. Following this, his divine sense swiftly integrated into the jade slip. The moment it entered, even someone as powerful as the Empress felt a tremor in her mind.

She had, of course, visited the Boundary Source Secret Realm and knew its intricacies. But now, upon her divine sense's inspection, the place was pitch black… The red candle had vanished, the stars had vanished, everything had turned into nothingness. Only Xu Qing remained, sitting cross-legged where the red candle had been, holding the token she had given him and trying various methods to activate it. This scene left the Empress silent.

After a long pause, her voice echoed in the void. "What are you doing?"

Xu Qing's movements paused. A surge of pleasant surprise filled his heart as he looked up at the distant void. "Greetings, Your Majesty. This place experienced a strange change earlier. I intended to use this jade slip to leave, but it's no longer working!" Xu Qing stood and cupped his fist. He knew that since the Empress had arrived, it meant he was out of trouble.

However, the Empress did not respond after hearing Xu Qing's words. It wasn't until a thought crossed Xu Qing's mind that he vaguely seemed to hear a sigh. Then, the Empress spoke! "You truly didn't listen to a single word I said! Once you're out, come see me immediately."

The moment these two sentences were uttered, a vast power surged from the void, gathering around Xu Qing, emitting a thunderous roar, and forming a massive whirlpool. With a single pull, it drew Xu Qing in, and the whirlpool also vanished along with him.

After sending Xu Qing away, the Empress's indistinct figure materialized in the void. What appeared here was merely a manifestation of her divine sense. She gazed around and finally shook her head. "I thought only his eldest senior brother was troublesome; I didn't expect Xu Qing to be the same!"

With a single step, the Empress vanished from the void and reappeared atop the jade slip outside. She raised her right hand and pressed down, and instantly, the massive jade slip regained its luster. The surrounding seal also reformed. Everything looked as it had before. However, if anyone could enter the jade slip, they would discover that the Boundary Source Secret Realm had indeed vanished.

But the Empress naturally wouldn't allow such a revelation. Thus, a decree was quickly issued from the Tenth Dominator Mountain: "The Boundary Source Secret Realm is experiencing a spiritual energy deficiency and will undergo repairs for a hundred years, during which it will not be open to the public." From a jurisdictional perspective, the Boundary Source Secret Realm now belonged to the Tenth Dominator, so Lü Lingzi's decree held validity. Even during this time of war, when the Boundary Source Secret Realm was considered a strategic resource, no one would seriously challenge such a matter, given Lü Lingzi's recent promotion. As a Dominator, such privileges were natural. Of course, to completely conceal the matter of the Boundary Source Secret Realm, the Empress still needed to handle some details.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing appeared somewhat uneasily on a plain a hundred miles outside the Boundary Source Secret Realm. The moment he appeared, he immediately transformed into Blood Dust Child, then turned to gaze at the Boundary Source Secret Realm, which was being re-sealed, a flicker of hesitation in his heart. He couldn't say for sure what he had gained from this trip. He seemed to have obtained the mask, but that peculiar candle had been imprinted on his back. At the same time, Xu Qing felt apologetic for causing trouble for the Empress. Such was his nature: clear on grievances and debts, unwilling to owe anyone.

After a moment, he took a deep breath. "Then I'll go help the Empress, doing my best to fulfill her wishes!" Xu Qing's body flickered as he headed straight for the Tenth Dominator Mountain. Along the way, his focus shifted to the unfamiliar divinity within him. Luck, as the name implied. Misfortune, likewise. As for the Purple Moon Divinity, it was associated with purple moonlight, illuminating all things, seeking flaws in life. Once found, they could be afflicted by poisonous restrictions. "Controlling fortune, and also controlling life's flaws! The divinity formed when they merge!"

Amidst the world, Xu Qing, speeding along, suddenly paused. In mid-air, his breathing became slightly ragged, and a strange light shone in his eyes. A word surfaced in his mind. "Could it be… destiny?"