Chapter 446: Divine Child Sets Out

Xu Qing's words were spoken with complete naturalness; they were not a command, but an instruction from a superior race to an inferior one.

Upon hearing this, the Captain felt a surge of admiration. Xu Qing's declaration was brilliant, like a checkmate in chess.

The Black-Clad Guards' earlier coercive actions were already a form of checkmate, and Xu Qing's retort was equally a checkmate.

Indeed, as soon as Xu Qing spoke, all the Black-Clad Guards around them changed expression. Lin Yuandong, in particular, trembled violently, his breathing becoming uncontrollably rapid.

His life lamp had already transformed into a Celestial Palace within him, becoming an integral part of his being. Removing it now would essentially shatter a palace, cost him half his life, and inflict irreversible damage to his cultivation foundation.

In any other context, such an act would lead to an irreconcilable, life-or-death situation. From childhood, Lin Yuandong had been a favored son of heaven, both before and after joining the Black-Clad Guards. With his father holding a high and powerful position, and his own astonishing talent, he had risen swiftly through the ranks of the Black-Clad Guards.

Moreover, as a second-tier registrant, he possessed noble blood within the Saint Garan race, placing him above most others, and he inherently carried a deep sense of superiority.

Yet today, he felt utterly humiliated, like a mere dog. What was most significant was that the person inflicting this humiliation spoke with such naturalness, as if it were perfectly normal and expected.

No matter Lin Yuandong's status within the Saint Garan race, it was meaningless before the Dark Heavenly race, unless he were of the royal family, which might grant some limited influence. But if the person before him was truly a divine child, even the royal family's influence would likely be useless.

After all, the Saint Garan race existed as dependents of the Dark Heavenly race; their relationship was one of master and servant, not equality.

Zhou Xingwu's expression also changed.

He could no longer maintain his initial composure. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Xu Qing, his mind racing with various thoughts.

In truth, the imperial decree did not explicitly demand that these two Dark Heavenly race members be escorted back to the capital; this was Zhou Xingwu's own initiative.

However, he hadn't anticipated the other party speaking in such a manner, creating an intractable situation.

He couldn't possibly follow the order to remove Lin Yuandong's life lamp. Doing so would not only make it impossible for him to remain in the Black-Clad Guards but also deeply offend the Grand Governor.

While the Grand Governor wouldn't dare anger the Dark Heavenly race, punishing Zhou Xingwu would be effortless.

But if he didn't comply... the strong stance of invitation he had adopted earlier would be impossible to maintain.

Just as he found himself in a difficult spot, Xu Qing's eyes gleamed with cold light, and he spoke softly.

"Hmm?"

Zhou Xingwu's brows furrowed deeply. All the Black-Clad Guards breathed rapidly, looking at him.

In their understanding, if Governor Zhou could indeed remove Lin Yuandong's life lamp because of that statement, then their own lives would effectively be in the hands of that Dark Heavenly race member.

Lin Yuandong's eyes also turned red as he looked at Zhou Xingwu.

Just as the situation reached this critical point, a gentle voice suddenly came from afar.

"Divine Child."

Following the voice, the Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom arrived quickly. After respectfully bowing to Xu Qing, he cast a cold glance at Zhou Xingwu.

To him, the Dark Heavenly Divine Child was naturally real, definitely real, and had to be real.

This way, the blessing upon his son, elevating him to the first tier, would also be real. So, regardless of anything else, until the Dark Heaven Divine Temple made a definitive statement, this was true.

Therefore, he was naturally displeased with Zhou Xingwu's actions, but as a colleague, he still needed to mediate.

"Divine Child, this life lamp has been defiled within this young man; it's somewhat sullied. However, I know there are still unassigned life lamps in the Heavenly Wind Upper Kingdom. How about we provide a different one instead?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xingwu immediately nodded and cupped his fist towards Xu Qing.

"My Lord, I will contact my superiors immediately. The moment you step into my Heavenly Wind Kingdom, a life lamp will be presented to you."

Xu Qing remained expressionless, showing neither joy nor sorrow. The more impassive he was, the more a sense of majesty emanated from him.

The Captain, standing beside him, now showed anger in his expression and let out a low growl.

"How dare you! Must our Divine Child move to retrieve a mere life lamp?!"

Xu Qing inwardly praised this. The Captain's words subtly reframed the idea of going to the Heavenly Wind Kingdom.

The Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom, hearing this, also looked at Zhou Xingwu, deliberately showing his displeasure.

Zhou Xingwu sighed inwardly, knowing that his forceful invitation for them to go to the Heavenly Wind Kingdom was now impossible, unless he truly removed Lin Yuandong's life lamp directly.

Otherwise, to insist on the original forceful invitation would be a slight against the Dark Heavenly race, and the Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom would never permit him to do so.

However, a doubt lingered in his heart: why were these two so resistant to going to the Heavenly Wind Kingdom? This thought brought with it suspicion.

But he knew very well that this was not for him to worry about. Superiors would naturally identify them. If they were fake, so be it, but if they were real, excessive involvement on his part would lead to no good end.

So, he bowed his head.

"It was my oversight, Your Excellency. I will immediately relay this matter regarding the life lamp back to the Upper Kingdom."

Xu Qing glanced at Lin Yuandong and shook his head.

"I have many life lamps; I don't lack your Saint Garan race's. But this blue stone carving is a bit special. I'll take this one."

As Xu Qing spoke, Lin Yuandong, under his gaze, trembled. His expression showed sorrow and indignation, and he clenched his fists tightly. A torrent of nervousness, anger, and other emotions surged through his mind, yet he dared not erupt or retort.

He knew very well that if he uttered even a single disrespectful word, losing his life lamp would be the least of his worries today.

The profound humiliation of being suppressed by a superior race felt like a virulent fire spreading through his heart, intensely potent.

Zhou Xingwu also frowned, his expression gradually darkening.

The Captain secretly swallowed, thinking, "Xu Qing, you're truly insane! If you push them this hard and they actually retaliate, we're finished."

"Zhang San was right. This young Ah Qing... is even crazier than me, deep down!"

As everyone present's thoughts raced, Xu Qing stepped forward, walking towards Lin Yuandong.

As he drew closer, the immense pressure symbolized by the three words "Dark Heavenly race" intensely surged in the hearts of every Saint Garan cultivator present.

Watching Xu Qing approach Lin Yuandong, Zhou Xingwu's eyes glinted with cold light. No one knew what he was thinking.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuandong's forehead beaded with sweat, and his body trembled violently. His eyes, filled with extreme sorrow and indignity, turned to despair. At that moment, Xu Qing, standing before him, suddenly smiled.

That smile instantly dispelled all the tension and oppression in the air.

With a smile, Xu Qing raised his hand, gently patted Lin Yuandong's shoulder, and said softly,

"Don't be afraid, I was just joking."

Lin Yuandong's body stiffened, and he stood stunned.

Xu Qing smiled, shook his head, and turned to walk towards the distant location of the True Immortal Ten Intestines.

The Captain blinked, then immediately followed behind. Qingqiu and Ning Yan, having witnessed this scene, also felt a surge of emotions and quickly trailed after them.

As for the Black-Clad Guards blocking their path, they instinctively dispersed to clear the way, respectfully bowing to Xu Qing.

As Xu Qing walked further away, all the Black-Clad Guards breathed a collective sigh of relief, their expressions complex.

Lin Yuandong, in particular, was still breathing rapidly. His mind, which had swung from intense tension and despair, now reversed instantaneously. This incredible emotional shift caused him to feel gratitude towards Xu Qing.

Within this gratitude was an underlying reverence for Xu Qing's capricious nature.

What defines a great figure?

Everyone's definition of a great figure differs slightly, but ultimately, it's someone who can manipulate your emotions at will, causing you to relax when they are pleased and fear when they are angry, someone whose single word can determine your mood and your very life.

This, is a great figure.

At this moment, as the Black-Clad Guards watched Xu Qing depart, the words passed down through generations about the inviolable majesty of the Dark Heavenly race involuntarily surfaced in their memories.

Before this, they knew about these things, but knowledge was different from personal experience.

After all, the Dark Heaven Divine Temple usually kept to itself, high above, making them inaccessible.

But now, their gaze towards Xu Qing showed the same awe as Lin Yuandong's.

From afar, Xu Qing's voice came again.

"Zhou Xingwu, by sunset today, I want to see a life lamp. Also, why are you all standing around? Come with me into the depths of the True Immortal Ten Intestines. And Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom, you come too."

The Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom quickly affirmed, his conviction in Xu Qing's identity as a Dark Heavenly race member extremely firm, and necessarily so, as it represented a brilliant future for his son.

Xu Qing naturally understood this; it was also the underlying reason for his earlier blessing. Sometimes, the binding of shared glory and loss could make normal people willingly choose blindness.

"As you command." Zhou Xingwu also bowed his head. This matter didn't put much pressure on him; he only needed to relay the message. Whether to provide the life lamp was a decision for his superiors.

However, he felt considerable emotion regarding all the actions of this Dark Heavenly race member.

He then took out a jade slip, left a verbal message, and handed it to a subordinate to transmit back to the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. After this, he led a group of Black-Clad Guards to catch up with Xu Qing and the other three, escorting them. Among them, Lin Yuandong was particularly diligent, protecting Xu Qing and remaining vigilant in all directions.

The Captain was in high spirits, occasionally glancing at the surrounding Black-Clad Guards and then at the serene Xu Qing. He found the situation immensely stimulating, feeling that this experience was incredibly satisfying. As a sword-wielder, he was being guarded by the Black-Clad Guards, who were even clearing the path for them.

"Heading into the depths of the True Immortal Ten Intestines, the subsequent tribulations won't be too bad, but the first tribulation, once reversed, poses extreme danger. With these Black-Clad Guards clearing the way, everything will be much easier."

Thus, their group slowly approached the True Immortal Ten Intestines tree forest. It had changed since before; now all its fruits had opened their eyes, emitting eerie glows under the sunlight, coldly observing the approaching group.

In the distance, the ten massive, dark brown, winding tree trunks soared into the sky, emitting a terrifying aura. A powerful, invisible sense of oppression descended upon the world. Compared to them, the people on the ground were like ants.

While grand and imposing, the True Immortal Ten Intestines also affected everyone's vital energy and disturbed their minds, instinctively instilling fear in the hearts of all who approached.

"Divine Child, when the True Immortal Ten Intestines blossoms, many strange phenomena appear within. Given your esteemed status, please protect your divine body and do not easily venture deep inside. If you truly require anything, your humble servant and Governor Zhou Xingwu can retrieve it for you."

The Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom, following behind Xu Qing, looked solemnly at the depths of the True Immortal Ten Intestines and spoke in a deep voice.

"What kind of strange phenomena? Tell me," Xu Qing said calmly, gazing into the distance.

Hearing Xu Qing's curiosity, the Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom cupped his fist and respectfully replied.

"Divine Child, according to the records of my thirty-six city-states, when the True Immortal Ten Intestines Dao Fruit forms once every century, and the Ten Intestines tree blossoms, temporal and spatial dislocations occur within."

"Most who enter get lost and find it difficult to return. Occasionally, someone forces their way out, speaking of having entered different temporal and spatial dimensions, and some even claimed to have personally witnessed the Calamity Immortal becoming an immortal." The Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom spoke respectfully. He understood why the Divine Child might not know these things; after all, to the Dark Heavenly race living in other regions, the Great Barren Eastern Prefecture of the Saint Garan race was merely a remote, small area.

Even if the other party was highly knowledgeable, it was reasonable for them not to know the specifics of this particular place.

"Furthermore, the deeper one goes, the more curses exist. There are records of mighty cultivators of the Return to Void realm perishing here." The Ruler of the Zenith Kingdom's expression showed apprehension.