Chapter 445

Xu Qing was very anxious. Four days had passed since the last spirit-ghost inspection.

In those four days, despite accumulating over a thousand Dao Fruits and the captain spreading rumors of blessings, which attracted many Saint Lan Race members to seek registration, the captain's operations yielded a considerable number of rare treasures. However, their true objective, the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree, had yet to fully mature.

As time went on, Xu Qing's unease grew, a feeling he recognized from his time in the Commandery Capital. This anxiety stemmed from his Heavenly Dao Canglong, and he also noted that Muyue had been missing for a long time. He could faintly sense that Muyue was in a very distant location.

"They must have been sent to the Saint Lan Dynasty…" Xu Qing mused. After checking his accumulated Dao Fruits and calculating his military merits, his desire to leave grew stronger.

But the captain was unwilling to give up. "Xiao A'qing, let's stay one more day! Tomorrow, a major client is seeking a blessing. Besides, I heard someone mention that they recently sensed fluctuations from the Ten-Intestine True Immortal during cultivation, indicating it's about to mature. Let's wait a little longer. This is a rare opportunity. If we can enter the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree's interior, our mission will truly be complete. I've been waiting for this day for a long time." The captain's eyes were filled with desire and madness as he licked his lips and rapidly transmitted his voice.

"We can't consume the Dao Fruits from the outside, but Xiao A'qing, I've researched it: the actual body of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree should be edible, and extraordinary. Every bite is sure to be an explosion of spiritual energy. You want to accelerate your cultivation, don't you? This time, I guarantee we can do it. Most importantly… Xiao A'qing, this time, your Senior Brother is going to grant you an earth-shattering, peerless, super stroke of good fortune! I can't explain it now; this matter is mysterious, something to be done, not spoken of. Trust me! As for how to leave, I also have a plan. I've prepared a powerful treasure that can instantly teleport us back to Fenghai County, but its consumption is astonishing, so it still relies on us getting the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree's essence."

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Qing looked at the captain, gritted his teeth as he recalled past events, and agreed to wait one more day. And so, the fourth night arrived.

Deep in the night, while Xu Qing was studying the Black Sky Divine Statue, his mind suddenly stirred, and ripples spread through his Sea of Consciousness. Vaguely, within his perception, a monstrous fire abruptly erupted in the direction of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree. This flame burned fiercely, a truly world-shattering sight. Yet, when he opened his eyes to look, everything vanished.

A strange glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. "Is this what Muyue and the captain were talking about—the fluctuating phenomenon of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree?" Xu Qing murmured, gazing into the distant darkness before closing his eyes once more.

After a long while, in his perception, the cluster of flames vaguely reformed. As it continuously burned, Xu Qing seemed to see a white-robed figure dancing towards the sky within the flames, at the location of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree. It was not alone; countless figures gradually materialized around it, all dancing together. Their dances were eerie, imbued with a sense of mystery, as if performing a ritual to appease the heavens. As they danced, the surrounding flames intensified, rising and falling in unison, their presence growing ever grander. Rhythmic drumbeats echoed from that place, each beat landing on Xu Qing's mind as if to replace his own heartbeat. Ancient chants, in pitches Xu Qing had never heard before, uttered inaudible incantations.

Gradually, the sky in his perceived illusion seemed to crack open with a vast fissure. From within this rift, an unimaginable entity vaguely appeared, gazing down at the earth as if in anticipation.

After an unknown duration, an excited voice emanated from the central dancing figure. As it raised its right hand and tore, its abdomen instantly ripped open, and winding intestines floated out, twisting upwards like snakes. With the dance and the drumbeats, these intestines ceaselessly writhed. Then, all the surrounding figures similarly raised their hands, tore open their bellies, and sent their intestines flying. From a distance, the sight of countless intestines ascending into the sky was horrifying.

This scene possessed a peculiar power that affected Xu Qing's perception, making him feel an uncontrollable urge to tear open his own abdomen and join them. But in the next instant, as his third and fourth Heavenly Palaces vibrated within him, and the power of the Poison Pill and Purple Moon spread, Xu Qing's mind surged, and the urge to tear open his belly slowly subsided.

In his perception, the sea of fire in the direction of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree instantly expanded, releasing a shocking crimson glow that permeated the entire world. At that moment, Xu Qing's body violently shook, he opened his eyes, and awoke from the illusion.

Outside, the sky had brightened. The human-shaped life-flame lanterns, suspended beneath the canopy, had re-ignited with the changing sky outside the canopy, casting their light in all directions. The moment dawn broke, a burnt smell, centered around the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree, instantly permeated all directions, enveloping every area beneath the canopy and reaching Xu Qing's nostrils.

At first sniff, the scent resembled scorched flesh, pungent and somewhat putrid. Yet, after taking a full breath, the second whiff transformed into an extraordinary fragrance, washing over him and permeating his spirit. Xu Qing's sixth Heavenly Palace, already half-formed from the previous killings in Zone C, trembled slightly under this aroma, as if stimulated and influenced, accelerating its materialization.

Xu Qing's eyes lit up. At this moment, the captain also noticed the anomaly. He burst out from the side hall, his eyes gleaming with madness and longing, breathing heavily as he stared in the direction of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree. "The Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree has bloomed!"

Almost the instant the captain's words were uttered, twelve resounding roars echoed from the location of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree, each more powerful than the last, until the final one seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth. The sound shook all directions.

Immediately after, amid the intense sounds, Xu Qing personally witnessed the massive canopy above this area slowly beginning to retract, allowing sunlight, which hadn't fallen on this land for a century, to pour down continuously. Upon closer inspection, the canopy wasn't actually retracting; rather, the intertwined tree trunks within it were separating from each other. This process continued for half an hour. As the outside world became fully bright and all the sunlight streamed in, the canopy… vanished.

Ten massive tree trunks, each not touching the others, winding upwards in different directions, appeared directly before the eyes of all observers present. The ten trunks, like ten intestines, swayed between heaven and earth! Countless fruits rapidly formed on them, transforming into innumerable eyes gazing remotely at the earth.

Xu Qing suddenly stood up. He had finally waited for the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree to bloom. After exchanging glances with the captain, both saw the excitement in each other's eyes. Without hesitation, they immediately walked out of the main hall. As for Qing Qiu and Ning Yan, they were also stunned by the changes in the Ten-Intestine Tree, but they couldn't continue observing. With a wave of Xu Qing's hand, they had no choice but to follow behind.

The group swiftly exited the main hall and were about to fly out of Heavenly Summit Nation towards the Ten-Intestine True Immortal Tree when, at that very moment, the teleportation array within Heavenly Summit Nation flared, emitting a roar. The next instant, black-clad figures materialized directly from within. The leader was a middle-aged man, possessing a Spirit Vault cultivation, just like the Heavenly Summit Nation's ruler. Upon appearing, he noticed Xu Qing and the captain, and his figure blurred as he moved directly towards them. Behind him, black-robed figures, moving in synchronized precision with murderous intent in their expressions, flew out, accompanying him with a whoosh. There were precisely three hundred of them. The weakest among them had four Heavenly Palaces, over forty had seven or eight Heavenly Palaces, and there were ten Nascent Souls.

Their appearance caused both Xu Qing and the captain's hearts to sink, while Qing Qiu and Ning Yan gasped. Their attire, the murderous aura, and the ginkgo leaves embroidered on their robes were familiar to the Sword Holders; they were none other than their mortal enemies within the Saint Lan Race… the Black Guard. Judging by their formation, it was clearly a complete squadron.

Moreover, the middle-aged leader with Spirit Vault cultivation was someone the captain hadn't seen, but Xu Qing had, on more than one occasion. The first time he saw this person was at the border when Kong Xianglong killed a quasi-Nascent Soul, and the man appeared in a towering rage. The second time was at the Sword Holding Palace, where he was brought by the Yao family to interrogate Xu Qing and the others. Now, it was the third time!

"It's him!" A murderous glint flashed in Xu Qing's heart. The middle-aged man, with his Black Guard subordinates, had already arrived swiftly. As they approached, not only did the man's figure become clear in Xu Qing's vision, but all the Black Guards behind him also came into view. Xu Qing's gaze swept over them, then suddenly fixated on one individual.

This was a handsome young man with a refined demeanor and astonishing cultivation. Although not a Nascent Soul, he possessed the combat power of a Nine-Palace cultivator. His Black Guard daoist robe bore two silver ginkgo leaves, one more than other Golden Core cultivators, signifying a rank equivalent to the ten Nascent Souls. What drew Xu Qing's attention to this young man was the presence of a Life Lamp within his body. Because it had transformed into a Life Palace, outsiders couldn't sense it very clearly, but Xu Qing clearly perceived it: a blue stone-carved lamp, shaped like a lantern.

Almost the instant Xu Qing's gaze swept over the young man, the leading middle-aged Black Guard, having approached, clasped his fist and bowed to Xu Qing, speaking in a deep voice. "Zhou Xingwu, Commander of the Heavenly Wind Nation's Black Guard, is here by imperial order to welcome and escort Your Excellency to Heavenly Wind Nation!"

After Zhou Xingwu bowed, the surrounding Black Guards immediately fanned out into an arc, completely surrounding Xu Qing and the captain, and bowed in unison. Qing Qiu and Ning Yan's breathing hitched slightly as they witnessed this scene.

Xu Qing remained calm, not speaking. The captain, standing beside him, raised his chin, frowned slightly, and spoke. "Step back, all of you. Whether we go to Heavenly Wind Nation is not for you to decide."

Zhou Xingwu remained expressionless, not sparing a glance for the captain. Instead, he looked up at Xu Qing and spoke again in a deep voice. "Imperial mandate compels us, and it is our duty. We hope Your Excellency will not make things difficult for us." He knew that this person was the rumored divine son with supreme bloodline. Although the imperial decree demanded no negligence, as a Black Guard, he naturally had his own way of doing things. As he spoke, he raised his right hand. Instantly, the surrounding Black Guards spread out again, transitioning from a semi-circle to a full encirclement. However, none of them released any murderous aura; they all respectfully lowered their heads and did not activate their cultivation. Yet, their stance was resolute.

The captain narrowed his eyes, seeing this scene, and was about to speak when Xu Qing suddenly spoke softly. "What is your name?"

As he spoke, Zhou Xingwu's gaze slightly darkened. He noticed that Xu Qing's eyes were fixed on the Admiral's son behind him. "Your Excellency, my humble self is Lin Yuandong." Greeted by Xu Qing's gaze, the Admiral's son immediately stepped forward, his expression cold, and clasped his fist as he spoke.

Xu Qing nodded and spoke indifferently. "Zhou Xingwu, retrieve his Life Lamp. I want it."