Chapter 1048: West Devil

Beyond Time!

As Xu Qing departed Shaxian Lake, fluctuations were spreading from the war teleportation matrix located on the periphery of West Moyu. Numerous teleportation arrays were scattered across the area, each leading to different regions of the Wanggu Continent. During wartime, these arrays served as the gateway to the Moyu Holy Land. Therefore, normally, this place was heavily guarded by various forces from West Moyu.

And now, outside the seventeenth teleportation array, hundreds of cultivators from the Seventeenth Sovereign Mountain were waiting respectfully. The leader was a young boy dressed in a Daoist robe. They remained silent, all gazing at the seventeenth array ahead, which was emitting fluctuations.

The array gradually rumbled, and a dense teleportation aura filled the air. Finally, a brilliant light enveloped the entire area, and a tall figure slowly began to materialize within it. Even as merely an outline, the intense bloodlust emanating from this figure spread outward first, causing everyone waiting to involuntarily shudder. Vaguely, it seemed as if one could smell blood.

A moment later, as the light on the array gradually dissipated, the figure within became clearer. Finally, when the light completely vanished, what was revealed before everyone was a young man clad in black battle armor. On his face were two shocking scars, shaped like a cross, with flesh exposed, extremely terrifying. Although such scars should typically be disfiguring, on this young man's face, they created a unique impression, adding a profound sense of severity and ruthlessness. Paired with his flowing red hair, it seemed as if he was the source of the bloodshed in the area. As for his armor, it bore numerous traces of war, indicating that this person had endured countless battles.

The moment he appeared, outside the array, everyone from the Seventeenth Sovereign Mountain, led by the young boy, immediately knelt before him.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

This individual was the third disciple of the Sovereign of the Seventeenth Sovereign Mountain. While ranked third, this position did not fully reflect his true strength or potential. In fact, his formidable reputation extended beyond the Seventeenth Sovereign Mountain to all of West Moyu, and even into East Moyu, where he was famously known as the West Moyu Son. The reason for this was his innate talent, which had once earned praise from Emperor Moyu. While in the Return to Void realm, he could already contend with cultivators in the lower Incipient God realm. After breaking through to the Incipient God realm himself, he went on to seize authority, becoming the second person in West Moyu in a thousand years to gain such power within that realm. Moreover, his authority was both unique and terrifying. It commanded slaughter!

Currently, despite being at the Incipient God Seventh Realm, his power surpassed that of those at the Incipient God Ninth Realm. When he unleashed his full might, he could even display strength approaching that of a Sovereign. On the human battlefield, his strength and decisive ruthlessness earned him monumental military exploits. He was even ranked on the human kill list alongside three other supreme talents, second only to the Sovereigns themselves. He had originally remained on the battlefield until he received a secret letter from a fellow disciple. Consequently, he chose to return.

At this moment, as the bloody aura spread and the chilling intent of slaughter permeated the air, the West Moyu Son's expression remained indifferent. He stepped out of the array and stood before all those who knelt.

"Where is he now?!" the West Moyu Son asked calmly.

His arrival sent a chill through the hearts of most of those kneeling. As fellow members of the same mountain, they were acutely aware of his almost obsessive craving for slaughter. Cruelty was his very nature. Yet, he was also a prominent supreme talent within the entire Moyu Holy Land, acknowledged by Emperor Moyu, and even had a Sovereign as his master. Such a figure, while not capable of single-handedly overturning the heavens, was certainly close to it. Thus, their heads bowed even lower. Even the leading boy, who was an attendant to the Great Emperor, dared not show the slightest negligence and respectfully relayed everything he knew.

"That Blood Dust Son had gone to Shaxian Lake, left two hours later, and traveled east, now pausing at Tiandong Mountain."

The West Moyu Son nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He took a step, appearing in the sky, then locked onto a direction. With a wave of his hand, vast black clouds enveloped a thousand miles, carrying his figure as he sped directly into the distance. Wherever he passed, heaven and earth rumbled. Enveloped in the black clouds, he appeared like a demonic god.

His return this time was for... Blood Dust Son! After learning that Blood Dust Son had challenged within his sect but no one could do anything about him, the West Moyu Son intended to take his head and place it where the other had once sat cross-legged. As for internal strife among their race or the dispute between East and West, none of it mattered to the West Moyu Son.

At the same time, as the West Moyu Son sped through the sky directly towards Tiandong Mountain, Xu Qing had indeed chosen to pause there. His affairs in West Moyu were already concluded. The Empress had successfully met Emperor Moyu, so he no longer needed to continue challenging others. And Xu Qing's trip to the Immortal Arts Hall had been fruitful. Therefore, all he needed to do now was wait for the Empress's meeting with Emperor Moyu to conclude, then depart West Moyu with her.

"After returning to East Moyu, the opening of Emperor Mingyan's secluded cultivation site will also be approaching!" Xu Qing pondered. Throughout his journey with the Empress, he had been contemplating her true purpose. The most obvious point was concerning Emperor Mingyan. But clearly, it must contain many details and secrets. Xu Qing lacked key information, so he couldn't analyze too much at the moment. However, he remembered one thing: at Emperor Mingyan's secluded cultivation site, there was an opportunity for a significant increase in cultivation. And Yuetong's previous plan!

"Also, I wonder what gains Senior Brother has made. I imagine he must have acquired quite a few benefits in East Moyu's Immortal Arts Hall!" Thoughts flowed through Xu Qing's mind. Then he put them all aside, no longer considering these matters, and instead focused on the items he needed to research on himself.

First, there was the Wishing Mask. During his leisure time, Xu Qing had studied this mask multiple times, but each time he restrained himself from making a wish. However, through his research, he had roughly deduced a few things. "This item's wish-granting ability should be a divine authority." And its status was terrifyingly high. Therefore, it could be used as a trump card. Unless absolutely necessary, he would avoid making a wish.

"As for the white dust, more of it has formed during this time, but the quantity is still insufficient." Xu Qing sensed it for a moment, then explored his own divine authority of fate. "The manifestation of this divine authority doesn't necessarily have to be used singularly. In fact, there are multiple ways, whether by wrapping my own soul around it or imbuing it into divine abilities, all can be attempted. As for its ability to engrave fate, there is a backlash! If the engraved fate replaces the original trajectory, then I must bear the obstacles encountered during that process!"

Xu Qing raised his right hand, and a carving knife formed by the divine authority of fate appeared in his palm. After gazing at it for a while, he put it away, then closed his eyes to sense his back. There, a full-back totem tattoo resided: the extinguished red candle. Sensing this totem, Xu Qing's expression became somewhat somber. The imprinting of this item within the World Source Secret Realm was not under his control, and he wasn't even very clear about the specific reason it became this way. Perhaps it was due to the candle itself, as it possessed its own consciousness. Or perhaps it was caused by the uniqueness of his own physical body. Regardless, Xu Qing disliked this totem. In his perception, this totem represented a hidden danger.

Although it had remained extinguished, during this period, Xu Qing vaguely sensed a wisp of revitalizing aura forming within the red candle. Thinking of the terrifying power contained within the red candle's flame, a faint glow flickered in Xu Qing's eyes. "It's absolutely impossible for me to allow you to revive and rekindle the candle flame in an uncontrollable state!" Xu Qing snorted coldly in his heart, and the authority of erasure shone in his eyes. His entire back, enveloping the candlewick, suddenly manifested. As the divine authority of erasure swept across again and again, the revitalizing aura gradually weakened, but it did not completely disappear. So Xu Qing called out to Little Shadow.

"Devour it." Xu Qing commanded.

Little Shadow was unwilling but dared not refuse. So, bracing itself, it rushed over, enveloped the target, and began devouring it in large gulps. Little Shadow's unique nature made this action quite effective; the revitalizing aura clearly weakened further.

Just like that, time passed, and dusk arrived. As the twilight glow of the setting sun fell across the horizon, with multiple bursts of the authority of erasure and repeated cooperation with Little Shadow, the revitalizing aura finally became almost imperceptible. Though still present, it was now controllable.

After sensing it, Xu Qing left behind sealing methods on it. He was then about to use the time he had while waiting for the Empress to research the Five-Dog Immortal Abandonment Technique. But just then, a sense of dread suddenly surged within Xu Qing's mind. His eyes narrowed, and his body blurred instantly, retreating backward. Simultaneously, the sky rumbled like thunder, and the twilight glow of the evening clouds shattered. In all directions, space twisted in an instant.

A world-destroying spear, entirely black, tore through the sky, pierced through the void, and shot directly from the heavens towards Xu Qing. The spear's shaft was as tall as heaven and earth, and its terrifying tip resembled a mountain peak. Wielding destructive might and an overwhelming force capable of overturning seas, it instantly arrived before Xu Qing with devastating power.

At this critical moment, Xu Qing unleashed his ultimate speed, swiftly dodging it. The spear swept past him. Feeling it at such close proximity, Xu Qing's mind trembled, sensing an intense threat. This strike was infinitely close to that of a Sovereign. And as he dodged, the spear whistled and directly struck Tiandong Mountain.

With one spear strike, Tiandong Mountain collapsed. The front of the mountain body shattered into pieces! The black spear directly pierced through, plunging obliquely into the ground. The massive spear tip plunged deep into the ground, and its long shaft hummed and swayed. Ten thousand miles of land instantly shattered and caved in. Moreover, vast amounts of black flames erupted from where the spear tip pierced, rising along the cracks in the ground, turning these ten thousand miles into a sea of fire!

In the sea of fire, countless souls appeared, all wailing. These souls were clearly human cultivators who had been killed by this spear on the battlefield. Unable to enter reincarnation, they were bound within it, becoming part of the spear's might.

And on the long spear shaft, which angled towards the sky, stood a demonic figure. His long red hair fluttered, and his black armor looked ferocious. Behind him, a celestial demon shadow materialized, vast and imposing, occupying half the sky as it gazed down at Xu Qing.

"You, are you Blood Dust Son?"