Chapter 159: There Is Something Strange

While the Seven Blood Eyes Sect prioritizes profit, it's precisely this emphasis that makes the weak show greater respect for the strong. No one is foolish enough to act arrogantly in front of a powerful individual; such people generally don't survive long.

Therefore, the five Foundation Establishment cultivators were as respectful as if they were meeting an elder. Regardless of their inner thoughts, this display of deference rarely drew disapproval. Xu Qing nodded upon hearing this. After surveying his surroundings, he found a corner and sat down cross-legged, waiting for the tide while simultaneously working on opening his forty-first Dharma Aperture.

The Life Fire Foundation Establishment indeed proved effective. Instantly, Xu Qing successfully opened his forty-first Dharma Aperture, even having enough residual power to attempt the forty-second. Although he didn't succeed, he created many cracks in the forty-second Dharma Aperture.

This made Xu Qing very happy. He felt that at this rate, he wouldn't need much longer to ignite his second Life Fire. By then, though he would appear to have two fires, his actual combat strength would reach the peak level of most Foundation Establishment cultivators with three fires.

"It's a pity Life Fire Foundation Establishment elixirs are rare; obtaining one requires immense luck," Xu Qing mused, considering taking on some more challenging missions in the future.

As he pondered, the disciples outside the valley entered, helping the Second Peak dismantle their alchemical furnaces and magical artifacts. Before long, with everything ready, everyone gathered around Kufa. While waiting for the sect's tide, they secretly observed Xu Qing and whispered among themselves.

Xu Qing's presence seemed to be their backbone. Although they were within a battle zone, a sense of security grew in the hearts of those in the valley. During this time, Bird Island repeatedly rumbled and vibrated, the sounds echoing in all directions, caused by fluctuations from other teleportation points. The anomalous substance here also grew increasingly dense.

As they waited, the sky slowly darkened, and the layered clouds in the firmament became indistinct, as if concealing immense danger. "Senior Brother, I had buried several Dharma Eyes on this island. Although most have been destroyed, I can still see some scenes," a voice began. As Xu Qing meditated, the young woman from the Second Peak, who possessed a Life Fire, approached him, her hand covering the torn clothing over her chest, and spoke softly. Though not severely injured, her face was pale, yet she remained strikingly beautiful. She had a melon-seed face, arched brows, and phoenix eyes filled with sorrow, making her an exceptionally pretty woman around thirty years old. Her long-standing practice of refining elixirs had imbued her with an herbal fragrance, as pleasant as Gu Muqing's. Xu Qing looked over upon hearing this.

It was unclear if the young woman did it intentionally, but since Xu Qing was seated and she was standing, his gaze, when he looked up, was level with the torn clothing over her chest, which she was covering with her hand. However, her hand didn't seem to be covering it precisely. The pale white skin within, half-concealed, hinted at astonishing curves.

Xu Qing's expressionless gaze shifted to the young woman's face. The moment their eyes met, the Second Peak young woman looked into Xu Qing's eyes, sensing the terrifying aura around him, and her heart involuntarily quickened its beat.

But she quickly realized her lapse in composure and hastily lowered her head, forming a hand seal. Immediately, a scene appeared before them. The image clearly showed a massive number of Sea Corpse Race members emerging from the sea, their overwhelming density a horrifying sight. Simultaneously, Sea Corpse Race cultivators were also visible at multiple locations on their island, with some even approaching their position. "How much longer until the tide?" Xu Qing asked. "About a hundred breaths!" It wasn't the young woman who answered Xu Qing, but Gu Muqing, who was now walking quickly towards them.

She seemed to have walked quickly, her dark hair, caught by the wind, slightly drifting. As she arrived, a few strands fell across her beautiful face, making her look even more graceful. Especially her clear, intelligent eyes and the fresh, natural aura emanating from within made Gu Muqing at that moment seem like a beautiful painting. After approaching, she glanced at the young woman beside her and bowed slightly. "Greetings, Senior Aunt Li." The young woman smiled, giving Gu Muqing a meaningful look. Then, Gu Muqing's beautiful eyes turned to Xu Qing. "Senior Brother Xu." Xu Qing looked at Gu Muqing.

Seeing that Xu Qing didn't mind her addressing him this way, Gu Muqing was happy in her heart and spoke softly, "Senior Brother Xu, this is the control jade slip for the forbidden elixir here. You are the highest-cultivated person present, and the sect requires this elixir to be activated before we retreat. You make the decision." As Gu Muqing spoke, she handed a jade slip to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing took the jade slip. He wasn't surprised that it was with Gu Muqing instead of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Second Peak; he knew that the old masters of Seven Blood Eyes actually trusted their core disciples the most, so such an arrangement was not unusual. Holding the jade slip, Xu Qing scanned it. Just then, shouts came from outside the valley, and a group of Sea Corpse Race cultivators clearly appeared. Despite seeing the corpses on the ground, the Sea Corpse Race still rushed towards them.

Amidst the tension of those in the valley, Xu Qing didn't look up, continuing to examine the jade slip. Then, agonizing screams erupted from outside the valley. All approaching Sea Corpse Race members showed signs of rapid decay within moments; some even melted into puddles of blue blood after just a few steps. This sight made all the disciples in the valley change expression and feel their hearts pound, but the Second Peak disciples were the first to recover. They gazed at the outside world, moved and simultaneously looking at Xu Qing, deeply shocked. They knew this was poison. And for a poison to be unbearable even for the Sea Corpse Race, it had to be specially formulated. Such specialized poison-making not only required extremely high mastery in pharmacology but also countless attempts. The former was manageable, but the latter was the most difficult. This was also why poison refiners from the Second Peak were so rare: often, before the poison could kill anyone else, the refiner would poison themselves during the process. The presence of such potent poison also brought a greater sense of security to everyone. Simultaneously, the area outside the valley quickly quieted down, especially since the black iron skewers and the shadow had gone out under the cover of night, working in conjunction with the poison.

Thus, the hundred-breath mark was approaching. Everyone present had divided into groups, standing both inside and outside the teleportation array, waiting for its activation. The teleportation array here wasn't very large and would require three transfers to transport everyone present. Xu Qing also stood up and walked to the teleportation array. Just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed, and he spun around, looking sharply outside the valley.

Almost the instant Xu Qing looked, a shocking fiery glow suddenly appeared in the darkness outside the valley. It was a figure completely enveloped in a white robe, rapidly charging from afar. Corpse poison permeated this person's body, and their Life Fire burned intensely. The aura unleashed in their Profound Radiance state far surpassed that of a single Life Fire cultivator. As they approached, thunder echoed. Their speed was indescribable; ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn't even see them clearly, not even the young woman with a single Life Fire. Only an uncontrollable surge of mental pressure rose intensely in the hearts of the Seven Blood Eyes cultivators present at that moment.

From a distance, it seemed as if a volcano was erupting within the approaching figure. Coupled with their corpse poison, the flames they emitted were green. "Two Life Fires," Xu Qing's eyes narrowed.

The approaching figure was the first cultivator with two Life Fires Xu Qing had encountered on the battlefield. Their aura was astonishing. As they neared, the sky and earth were illuminated, turning green. It was as if a giant green hand was slamming down towards the valley. Just as they were about to arrive, the figure clearly saw everything inside the valley, seeming to pause slightly, but then an inexplicable laugh erupted, and their speed increased even further. Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, took a step forward, and the moment his foot landed, his internal Life Fire ignited.

With the roaring eruption of his internal volcano, he entered the Profound Radiance state. The familiar sensation returned: everything around him slowed down, only the approaching figure ahead moved as normal. Xu Qing surged forward, instantly soaring into the air, heading straight for the approaching figure.

In the blink of an eye, the two collided in mid-air. A resounding crash erupted, surpassing thunder, reverberating in all directions. Xu Qing clenched his right fist, his Life Fire burning, and unleashed a powerful punch. The white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator also had their Life Fire burning—two Life Fires shaking heaven and earth—and returned a punch. The sound erupted at that moment. Xu Qing's entire body trembled, his internal organs churning. He felt the opponent's formidable strength, a strength that exceeded his judgment of a two-fire cultivator. He knew very well that with his condensed Qi foundation and the presence of his Life Lamp, he should definitely have an advantage even against a two-fire opponent. However, this two-fire Sea Corpse Race cultivator seemed different. So, with a wave of his hand, the Serpent-Necked Dragon manifested, roaring as it charged, while his internal Black Fiend Fire also erupted, forming flaming daggers that shot towards the opponent. Simultaneously, Xu Qing raised his left hand, and in a blink, the Heavenly Blade appeared above him.

Enhanced by Xu Qing's Profound Radiance state, this blade became even more powerful and covered a wider range. Black flames permeated its entire form as it ruthlessly slashed towards the white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator. A deafening roar shook the heavens. The white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator was blasted backward, seemingly suffering as well, their internal Life Fire trembling.

The next instant, a brutal expression appeared on Xu Qing's face as he charged again. Although the white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator was completely covered by their robes, obscuring their appearance, their corpse poison was extremely potent, and a hint of madness emerged in their eyes. Xu Qing noticed this, and his brow suddenly furrowed, but at that moment, there was no time to think too much. He continued his charge, colliding with the Sea Corpse Race cultivator in a blink.

Booming sounds continuously erupted. In mid-air, in their respective Profound Radiance states, their attack speeds were incredibly fast, and their magical arts were astonishing. They constantly exchanged blows, engaging in hundreds of exchanges within just a dozen breaths. Then, they unleashed full-force attacks against each other and retreated. Xu Qing spat out a mouthful of blood, and the white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator also spat out blood. In their gaze towards Xu Qing, besides madness, there was intense surprise and a trace of reluctance to yield.

Xu Qing stared at the opponent's eyes, saying nothing. His internal volcano erupted completely, and his body surged out like a sharp blade. He brandished his dagger, and the Heavenly Blade reappeared. Simultaneously, his spiritual sea expanded, forming a suppressing force, and the black iron skewer containing the Vajra Sect Ancestor arrived with a jingling sound. Furthermore, as Xu Qing attacked, he also scattered a multitude of poisons. Now rapidly closing in, he brought his dagger sharply towards the opponent's neck.

The white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator was also remarkable. As they formed hand seals, the surrounding corpse poison instantly turned icy cold, rushing straight towards Xu Qing from all sides as if to freeze him. At the same time, a massive sheet of ice appeared before them, blocking Xu Qing while also slamming hard towards him.

Amidst the roar, Xu Qing was forced to retreat. A glint flashed in the Sea Corpse Race cultivator's eyes, and their body suddenly moved fiercely. Using an unknown secret technique, they broke through the void and appeared directly in front of Xu Qing, grabbing for his neck.

Seeing this, Xu Qing, to the white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator's surprise, did not dodge. Instead, he slammed his head fiercely into the opponent's palm. The next moment, they collided. Xu Qing's head was bleeding, while the white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator let out a shriek as their right hand shattered into pieces. Just as they were about to retreat, Xu Qing pressed close, his dagger slashing viciously towards the opponent's abdomen.

So fast was his move that the white-robed Sea Corpse Race cultivator's pupils contracted, and their mind reeled. They reeled backward, narrowly avoiding the strike, but their robe was still ripped open by Xu Qing's blade, scattering some items they were carrying. These items were varied, but the most eye-catching were fruits: oranges, peaches, pears, and especially apples.