Chapter 1184: 应劫

The Divine Blood River was formed from the blood of numerous deities slain in the Fifth Star Ring in ancient times. Within it, besides regions of divine fire, there are many divine altars, and even true gods have fallen. Several Divine Lords also exist there.

Consequently, this river contains an extremely dense alien substance and is permeated with immense divine resentment and death energy.

Although the entire Blood River is suppressed by its banks, confined here completely as if a vengeful dragon were shackled, preventing the alien substance and resentment from spreading and infringing upon the outside world, cultivators who enter its waters will inevitably be corrupted. Their bodies and souls will be defiled, and it may even plant divine karma, significantly impacting their future.

Only those with the cultivation of a Quasi-Immortal Grand Emperor are qualified to cross the Divine Blood River without relying on a boat. But this is merely a qualification. This kind of crossing carries immense danger. This danger comes partly from the contamination of divine aura within the Blood River, and partly from the eerie phenomena within it. So many deities have perished, and over countless ages of accumulation, no one knows if abominations have been born within this Blood River, or if something even more terrifying has emerged. Therefore, even Quasi-Immortal Grand Emperors must be extremely cautious and vigilant when crossing this river. Unless it's absolutely necessary to cross the Blood River, Quasi-Immortal Grand Emperors would not easily take this path.

Of course, if a crossing is unavoidable, it is naturally best to take a ferry boat. Thus, ferrymen came into existence. What seems like ferrying is, in reality, patrolling. And the ferry boats are their tools! Each boat is a supreme treasure specifically designed against deities. When traversing the Blood River, they naturally emit a suppressive aura. Ferrying these boats, patrolling the Blood River, and suppressing divine influences – this is the purpose of the ferrymen on this river. It is also their way of atoning.

And at this moment, the ferry boat appearing before Xu Qing is a gift left to him by Immortal Linghuang! The boat was crafted by Immortal Lord Jiuan, Immortal Linghuang's father, specifically for his daughter in those years.

Gazing at the boat, Xu Qing's eyes deepened. He understood the true intention behind Immortal Linghuang's gift of this ferry boat.

"She's giving me a way out..." Xu Qing murmured to himself.

This ferry boat represents an identity: that of a ferryman who atones. Although Xu Qing is not yet a ferryman, if one day he commits a grave transgression in the Fifth Star Ring, then this ferry boat, crafted by Immortal Lord Jiuan, and the retreat it offers, will become his chance at survival.

After a moment, Xu Qing took a deep breath and bowed towards the sky. Then he lifted his foot and stepped forward, onto the dark, dilapidated boat. The moment he stood there, the boat trembled, emitting thick black mist that enveloped Xu Qing. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the boat and the man seemed to become one. So Xu Qing picked up the straw cloak and put it on, then picked up the bamboo hat and placed it on his head. Afterward, he sat down cross-legged. The aura of ages emanated from the straw cloak and bamboo hat, merging with the black mist, enveloping Xu Qing and concealing everything. From afar, at this moment, he truly seemed to have become a still, unmoving ferryman.

He was waiting, to see if it was possible for a 'fish' to truly take the bait. At the same time, he was perceiving the inner essence and structure of the boat. Xu Qing was not unfamiliar with boats.

And so, time passed. Ten days went by.

By the banks of the Divine Blood River, a long rainbow whistled through the air at astonishing speed... Within the rainbow was a young man. The young man was pale and weak; it was none other than Xinghuanzi!

In the end, he still chose to take the path through the Divine Blood River. Compared to the other paths, the Divine Blood River was not the only option. Yet, he had a subtle premonition that traversing the Divine Blood River would be the safest and most secure choice. So, he came. As he drew closer, the premonition of safety and security grew even stronger, especially after seeing a ferry boat docked by the riverbank, causing his heart to slightly relax.

Throughout his escape, his body, cultivation, and mind were all incredibly exhausted. Although his Star Pagoda had substituted for him in two deaths, he became weaker with each revival. The second death, in particular, was intentional. At that time, he suspected Xu Qing had locked onto him in some way, so he decisively chose to pay the price of a life to sever the karma and erase his traces. To make it truly effective, the price he paid that time was even greater. Even after ten days, he had not yet recovered.

"Although, with my cultivation, I am qualified to cross this Divine Blood River, my current weakness leaves me with insufficient resistance to its corruption, and should I encounter dangers from the Blood River itself while on it, I lack the power to suppress them. Therefore, taking a ferry boat is the best choice." He thought, "Fortunately, I have never taken one before."

Lost in thought, Xinghuanzi's speed did not decrease. In an instant, the rainbow he transformed into directly traversed the void, appearing already on the riverside dock, and with a single step, he boarded the ferry boat. The moment he stepped onto the boat, an overwhelming sense of absolute safety permeated his entire being, causing him to let out a long breath.

He then respectfully bowed towards the figure sitting cross-legged at the front, cloaked in a straw raincoat and enveloped in black mist. "Greetings, Senior. Please, may we set sail."

The figure in the straw raincoat did not speak, but the boat swayed slightly, slowly pushing off from the bank and heading into the Blood River. Gradually, it moved away from the dock, until it was deep within the Blood River, until the scenery on the banks was completely out of sight.

Amidst the churning crimson waves, the howling wind outside the boat, and the dense alien essence of the outer deities, Xinghuanzi's mind completely relaxed. He sat there, turning his head to gaze towards the direction of the Western Star Domain, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. He murmured softly.

"Xu Qing, there will be a battle between us yet!"

"You're right." The figure in the straw raincoat, who was rowing, spoke faintly.

As these words were uttered, Xinghuanzi froze for a moment, then abruptly turned his head, his expression drastically changing in that instant, an overwhelming sense of disbelief and horror surging within him. His body suddenly shot up from its cross-legged position. "Your voice, you... you..."

The figure in the straw raincoat took off the bamboo hat, and the black mist around him surged outwards, revealing his face.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

A resounding boom echoed in Xinghuanzi's mind. In that moment, the sound of the waves, the howling wind, all sounds vanished, leaving only the roaring in his mind, like millions of heavenly thunders exploding at once. He could not believe it, could not accept it, and an absurd feeling overwhelmed him. The person before him was actually Xu Qing!

And in the ethereal realm, his earlier premonition that his journey to the Divine Blood River would be very safe resurfaced at this moment. But this time... within this premonition, an aged and incredibly familiar voice seemed to echo in his mind,

"Embrace calamity."

On the Southern Star Domain's side of the Divine Blood River, a dark, dilapidated ferry boat arrived silently and docked beside the pier. From within, only Xu Qing disembarked. Faintly, a speck of dust could be seen drifting around him. That was... the dust of Heavenly Principle.