Chapter 360: Feeling the Truth

Xu Qing didn't feel anything specific, but at that moment, an inexplicable tremor arose in his heart.

"There..." Xu Qing's mind grew alert, filled with a strong sense of caution.

His injuries were severe, so he had spent the past few days in secluded healing. Having recovered most of the way, he picked up his communication jade slip to inquire about recent external events, especially regarding the Grand Preceptor Immortal Sect.

He inquired about the Ancestor's Blood Refinement Son.

As for the Ancestor, Xu Qing knew that a simple thank you was meaningless. He kept the Ancestor's immediate rescue after his fall from three thousand zhang firmly in mind.

He would also never forget the healing pills he had been given.

Xu Qing remembered any kindness shown to him, even the slightest, just as he remembered any ill will.

Soon, Xu Qing received the answers. The Ancestor also told him about the moon totem, including the fall of the sun and moon, and that there wasn't just one Maimed Face deity, but many hidden secrets.

After listening, Xu Qing's mind reeled. The information contained within these revelations was astonishing and perfectly aligned with his own experiences.

He recalled his Golden Crow Refining Myriad Spirits technique and the murals inside the giant's dragon carriage.

He had found it strange then because the murals depicted the sun's fall, yet a sun still remained in the sky.

Now, Xu Qing had the answer.

The youth sitting on the dragon carriage was one of the fallen suns.

"The Ancestor said the totem depicted on the Grand Beginning Pillar of Departed Souls is one of the twelve moons currently in the Ancient Continent. This moon is located in the extreme west of the Ancient Continent, incredibly far from here. And most of the myriad races suspect that deities are sleeping on the sun and moon?"

"I heard breathing sounds on the moon in my Sea of Consciousness before... and the words spoken by the youth's soul-shadow in my Sea of Consciousness..."

Xu Qing fell silent. The answer had actually surfaced in his heart long ago.

"Deities."

"So, is the purple moon I plundered through heterogeneous invasion a portion of a deity's power?"

Xu Qing murmured, sensing the tiny purple moon within his Sea of Consciousness.

Compared to the Crimson Moon, this purple moon was less than one ten-millionth in size, but the power it contained was still extremely terrifying. Xu Qing merely sensed it for a moment, and his hair stood on end.

It felt like gazing upon the Maimed Face deity with closed eyes in the sky.

But he was only awed by this power; there was no sense of danger. An incredibly close connection existed between him and the purple moon, granting him the right to control it.

However, though he had the qualification to control it, due to his own insignificance, he was temporarily unable to truly manipulate it, only able to slightly draw upon its aura.

Even so, it did not prevent Xu Qing from perceiving it.

"Heterogeneous substances arise because of me. So, are things invaded by heterogeneous substances rooted in me as their source?"

Xu Qing sensed it for a moment. After confirming his judgment, he couldn't help but look up at the night sky.

"Then, for this Maimed Face deity, are all those invaded by its aura actually under its control?"

Xu Qing fell silent, then his gaze sharpened as he thought of the Captain.

"The Captain must have also gained something, but considering his stomach burst, he probably devoured it, unlike me."

Xu Qing pondered, then took out his jade slip to send a message to the Captain, informing him of his earlier judgment.

"Captain, there might be harm if that aura is absorbed."

"No problem," the Captain replied. "I've eaten too much of it. If it really controls me as you say, then many deities will probably have to fight to decide my ownership."

"Little A'Qing, you don't need to envy me," the Captain chuckled. "You're contended over by female cultivators. I'm different; I'm contended over by deities."

"Besides," he continued, "maybe what's sealed inside me isn't just strangeness. I think there might be a deity sealed inside my body. So, do you want me to help you? Give your share to me, and I'll bear the suffering for you."

"Thank you, no need, Captain." Xu Qing closed the jade slip. Based on his understanding of his senior brother, the Captain saying this meant he could handle it himself. As for sealing a deity, Xu Qing didn't believe it.

Thoughts settled in his heart. After calming his mind, he continued to analyze the tremor emanating from the direction of the Grand Preceptor Immortal Sect.

"The Grand Preceptor Immortal Sect's Dao Child fell from three thousand zhang, almost perishing in both body and spirit."

"So, the Grand Preceptor Dao Child's problem arose from him being the third to step onto the three-thousand-zhang mark."

As Xu Qing thought of this, a speculation suddenly arose.

"Could it be that the deity sleeping on the Crimson Moon awakened because of my and the Captain's absorption and plunder? And then saw Zhang Siyun..."

Xu Qing's eyes widened. The more he thought about it, the more plausible this possibility seemed, and it also explained why Zhang Siyun almost died.

"But that's not right," he mused. "If a deity truly awakened, Zhang Siyun, a Heavenly Palace Golden Core cultivator, could not have been saved. He would have certainly died."

Xu Qing pondered, recalling the tremor he had felt moments ago.

"Why did the rescued Zhang Siyun make me feel a tremor and a sense of danger?"

Xu Qing thought for a while, his breathing gradually quickened as a terrifying speculation emerged in his mind.

"The Grand Preceptor Dao Child's near-annihilation was related to the Crimson Moon, and his survival was also related to the Crimson Moon..."

Xu Qing's mind trembled, his wariness and caution intensifying. He didn't know if his judgment was right or wrong, but being more careful and cautious in the future would certainly not be wrong.

Thus, time passed once more. Soon seven days went by, and the Sword Bearer Qualification Battle was about to begin.

Many things happened during these seven days.

For instance, the inspection of the Grand Beginning Pillar of Departed Souls had not concluded, meaning it could no longer be climbed, which Xu Qing found regrettable.

Because the Ghost Emperor Mountain within his Sea of Consciousness had become increasingly realistic, its face now nearly ninety percent similar to Xu Qing's.

And the staff that appeared in the Ghost Emperor Mountain's hands had also changed from blurry to semi-transparent, becoming much clearer than before.

The final standings for the ranking competition were also determined.

Xu Qing, Chen Erniu, and Zhang Siyun all reached the three-thousand-zhang mark, sharing first place.

Each person earned one opportunity to comprehend a human emperor-grade cultivation method.

But this comprehension would not happen now; instead, it would occur after the final Sword Bearer assessment concluded.

Additionally, the rewards for climbing the Grand Beginning Pillar of Departed Souls were sent over by the Ancestor. As it was difficult to precisely determine each person's share, the Ancestor allocated seventy percent to Xu Qing based on his previous performance, and the remaining thirty percent to Chen Erniu.

The Captain was delighted, and Xu Qing didn't dwell on it too much, especially since among these rewards, there was also a set of inherited cultivation methods.

This cultivation method was called the Golden Kill Art. When activated, it could control golden qi from all directions, turning it into a personal weapon with formidable lethality.

After Xu Qing practiced it, he gave it to the Captain. The Captain, knowing about Xu Qing's collection of Geng Metal Qi from the Upper Chapter, sent over the Geng Metal Qi he had acquired and also requested some other auras.

As for the other items, Xu Qing originally intended to sell them, but the Captain told him to keep them, stating they would be very useful when they went to Fenghai County later.

So Xu Qing kept them.

Additionally, the two had also discussed whether the Sword-Wielding Court would come to demand the auras they had acquired.

The Captain believed this matter was an opportunity to "cleanse" them, so he proactively suggested surrendering the items. Xu Qing also knew that what the Captain said made some sense.

But he couldn't produce it, and even if he could, it wouldn't be the Crimson Moon's aura, but the purple moon's aura.

But the Captain sent him a wisp.

Xu Qing was somewhat surprised; the Captain was rarely so generous.

"Because I found something bigger, hehe," the Captain said. "I'm planning. You'll have to help me this time; I plan to eat my fill."

Xu Qing was thoughtful.

At the same time, his iron stick successfully transformed completely under a sufficient amount of Geng Metal Qi, becoming a spirit artifact. The Vajra Sect Ancestor was re-integrated into it.

Immediately, the power of the black iron stick greatly increased. Combined with the Vajra Sect Ancestor's Tribulation Red Lightning, it possessed the power to guarantee a kill against anyone below the Three Palaces realm.

Xu Qing held it in his hand, playing with it for a moment, very satisfied.

The shadow displayed extremely fearful yet longing emotions towards the purple moon.

Seeing its pitiful state, Xu Qing allowed it to approach a bit closer.

After the shadow cautiously approached, like a lone wolf worshipping the moon, it actually bowed to the purple moon and then began to inhale and exhale.

This scene struck Xu Qing as very peculiar and further deepened his understanding of the purple moon.

"This purple moon can serve as the material for my fifth Heavenly Palace later," Xu Qing murmured.

He currently had three Heavenly Palaces. For the fourth, he already had plans, intending to place the Azure Dragon within it, which would be his fated Heavenly Palace.

In reality, this fated Heavenly Palace would normally be the first Heavenly Palace for those from the Seventh Peak who, after comprehending the Forbidden Sea Dragon Whale during Qi Condensation, entered the Golden Core stage.

However, Xu Qing's cultivation path differed from others: his two fate lamps had transformed into Heavenly Palaces, and the Poison Prohibition Pill, facing the risk of dissipating and withering, had been placed in early.

This meant his fated Heavenly Palace was always yielding its position.

As Li Ziliang's four crystal-like Golden Cores were integrated by Xu Qing, his fourth Heavenly Palace had also partially solidified. According to Xu Qing's judgment, it wouldn't be long before the fourth Heavenly Palace could be fully formed.

Additionally, during these seven days, Sword Bearers also found Xu Qing, bringing up the matter of the Sword-Wielding Court needing deity domain totem auras, and explaining that submitting them could be exchanged for military merits.

Once military merits reached a certain level, one's rank could be elevated.

Even if one didn't become a Sword Bearer later, they could still exchange military merits for some cultivation items exclusive to the Sword-Wielding Court.

Xu Qing had discussed this matter with the Captain, so he feigned hesitation, pondered for a while, and then handed over that wisp of aura.

Thus, after these seven days passed, the Sword Bearer Qualification Battle, long anticipated by all the cultivators from various sects who had arrived here, received a notice that it was about to begin.

This qualification battle involved thousands of participants, but ultimately, only the top ten would be chosen!

These ten individuals would gain trial qualifications to undergo the final Sword Bearer assessment.

To become true Sword Bearers!