Chapter 447: Big Brother, This Is Your Life Lamp

Xu Qing's eyes narrowed.

The voice of the Sky Dome Nation's ruler continued. "Moreover, the depths of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal possess a power that drives people mad. All those who are afflicted go insane, losing the ability to distinguish friend from foe. It's as if their perception is altered, making them believe they are members of the Disaster Immortal Race."

"Even more bizarre is the fate of those who ventured deep inside and miraculously returned: according to the records of the Thirty-Six City-States, none of them met a peaceful end. Their deaths invariably involved their bellies being ripped open and their intestines spilling out."

"Some tore themselves open, while others... had their bellies ripped open from the inside by their own intestines. Thus, the records suggest that the depths of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal possess the power to animate a living being's intestines."

"These are just some examples; there are many other transformations. Furthermore, each time the Ten-Intestine True Immortal blossoms, new and distinct bizarre phenomena emerge. These are not fixed, which makes the area even more perilous."

"Generally, our Thirty-Six City-States do not venture into the depths, only collecting Dao fruits from the outer perimeter. Oh, and regarding the Ten-Intestine True Immortal, there's actually another rumor..."

The Sky Dome Nation's ruler glanced at Xu Qing and spoke in a low voice. "This is a rumor among the descendants of the Disaster Immortal Race: it's said that the many dangers of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal are actually meant to prevent others from disturbing it. If this place were likened to a mausoleum, then those dangers are specifically for grave robbers."

"They don't know the correct way to enter, so they meet violent deaths. It's as if all the dangers here are pieces of a puzzle; only by mastering the right method can one enter safely and smoothly."

"However, even the descendants of the Disaster Immortal Race, who are indigenous to this region, have never known the correct method. So, the rumor has remained just that—a rumor."

Xu Qing seemed to ponder this, his gaze seemingly casual as he swept over the Captain. He recalled what the Captain had said earlier about giving him an earth-shattering, unparalleled, supreme stroke of good fortune.

"It seems the Senior Brother's familiarity with this place wasn't entirely derived from the prefecture capital's intelligence."

Xu Qing mused inwardly and continued walking.

As time passed, day turned into dusk. The sky darkened, and the evening glow of twilight enveloped it. Throughout the day, Xu Qing and his party had traveled from the outer reaches of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal to the boundary of its deeper regions.

The boundary was artificially created, marked by a long line drawn on the ground with special paint, encircling the entire Ten-Intestine True Immortal area.

Here, everyone paused.

The day's harvest was considerable for Xu Qing. With the Sky Dome Nation's ruler leading the way and the Black-Clothed Guards collecting Dao fruits, Xu Qing now possessed over three thousand Dao fruits.

As for dangers, they encountered very few. Any occasional, sporadic bizarre incidents were swiftly resolved by the Black-Clothed Guards with overwhelming force. Lin Yuandong, in particular, repeatedly put himself in harm's way, protecting Xu Qing with unwavering loyalty. Each time Xu Qing acknowledged him with a nod, it would visibly invigorate him.

At that moment, Xu Qing stood by the boundary, gazing into the distance, as the Sky Dome Nation's ruler respectfully addressed him from beside him.

"Divine Son, we have reached the limit. This line was established by the ancestors of the Thirty-Six City-States through generations, and beyond it lies immense peril and danger."

"Your subordinate has already arranged for the Profound Sky Demonic Moon Pills; they are currently en route to the Sky Dome Nation. As for the Dao fruits you require, I have also communicated with the other city-states. After half a month, once each city-state has finished harvesting, they will likewise send them to you."

Xu Qing and the Captain exchanged glances, then Xu Qing spoke calmly after a moment. "Zhou Xingwu, has my Fate Lamp been delivered?"

Lin Yuandong's body trembled upon hearing this. Beside him, Zhou Xingwu, who had been silent throughout the journey, spoke in a low voice. "My Lord, communication is restricted here, so your subordinate is unaware of the progress. I assume we will have a conclusion once we return."

"Go back and check. Bring the Fate Lamp here; I will wait." Xu Qing said calmly, sitting cross-legged.

Zhou Xingwu frowned. The other party's words gave him the impression that they had no intention of returning to the Sky Dome Nation, but rather planned to enter the depths of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal.

"Is this Divine Son so eager for the Fate Lamp?" Zhou Xingwu narrowed his eyes in contemplation. Meanwhile, the Sky Dome Nation's ruler, after taking a deep look at Xu Qing, suddenly spoke. "Divine Son, do you perhaps possess a secret art that can activate the withered bloodline within the Fate Lamp, thereby neutralizing some of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal's curses, allowing you to venture deeper?"

Xu Qing felt a touch of surprise hearing the Sky Dome Nation's ruler speak this way. When he looked at the ruler, the latter turned his head, avoiding eye contact, and spoke in a low voice to Zhou Xingwu. "Lord Zhou, the Divine Son has given an order; hurry now!"

Zhou Xingwu thought for a moment, then suppressed his doubts. This matter, regardless of anything, did not concern him significantly; he only needed to perform his duty. Therefore, he left a portion of the Black-Clothed Guards behind and departed with the rest, heading directly for the Sky Dome Nation.

As they departed, silence settled over the area. The twilight's crimson glow in the sky slowly faded, and the entire jungle grew dim. The Sky Dome Nation's ruler stood there, turning to gaze at his nation in the distance, then looked even further. That direction was towards the Heavenly Phoenix Upper Kingdom, where his son currently resided. At that moment, a complex expression appeared on his face.

The Captain glanced at Xu Qing, betraying no emotion. Xu Qing, meanwhile, had already extended his perception. A faint aura of pressure subtly emanated from the dim crimson glow above—it was the Black Sky Divine Statue.

Naturally, Xu Qing hadn't come to the Ten-Intestine True Immortal unprepared. Although he hadn't yet completely replaced the Black Sky Divine Statue with Purple Moon energy, this did not hinder the transmission of his commands.

After a while, as the surrounding Black-Clothed Guards sat cross-legged and waited, the Sky Dome Nation's ruler, who had been gazing into the distance, suddenly turned to Xu Qing and spoke softly. "Divine Son, what about my son's aptitude?"

"Muyie possesses a remarkable mind and excellent aptitude. However, his Saintly Wave registration restricted his future," Xu Qing said calmly.

The last rays of the setting sun reflected in the Sky Dome Nation ruler's eyes, obscuring their brilliance and making his expression and gaze unreadable to outsiders. Only his soft murmur could be heard. "I hold the fourth-tier soldier-class registration, which means my descendants are destined to remain of this class unless an extraordinary cultivator emerges. Fortunately, the Divine Son valued him, elevating his registration to the supremely noble first tier."

"Divine Son, your true objective, from the very beginning, has been the depths of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal, hasn't it? As a Divine Son of the Black Sky Race, logically, if you desired something, the Divine Temple would naturally issue an order for the Saintly Wave Race to retrieve it for you."

"Or, in such a dangerous place, a Protector should naturally be accompanying you..."

Xu Qing's heart sank. The Captain moved a few steps closer to Xu Qing, but they soon noticed that the surrounding Black-Clothed Guards had all closed their eyes, having unknowingly fallen into a deep sleep.

"I understand, Divine Son. You must have adversaries within the Black Sky Race. Your adversaries wield significant power, and since there isn't just one Divine Son, competition among you is necessary?"

"Therefore, this time you had to come alone, seeking the unknown fortune of this place, just like the numerous legitimate heirs of the Heavenly Wind Dynasty. But even though you have adversaries, for small figures like us, especially those whose registration has been elevated, we will not be affected."

"After all, such matters are inconsistent with status. Logically speaking, this is how it is."

The Sky Dome Nation's ruler murmured, then turned to Xu Qing, his eyes deep. "My Lord, this time, after you... enter the depths of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal, will you return?"

"You... won't be coming back, will you?" The Sky Dome Nation's ruler's eyes conveyed a profound meaning.

Xu Qing looked into his eyes. The ruler's previous murmurs, by all accounts, were merely self-comforting. After all, to become the ruler of a nation, even a small one, one's intellect was certainly extraordinary.

However, at this point, doubt or lack thereof no longer mattered. The matter of elevated registration had already bound them together.

"I have other matters to attend to; I won't be returning," Xu Qing said calmly. Although it answered the other party, the statement itself was innocuous.

Hearing this, the Sky Dome Nation's ruler remained silent, sitting cross-legged without speaking. Meanwhile, the surrounding Black-Clothed Guards instantly awoke, their expressions showing no abnormality. Clearly, they had no idea they had been asleep.

Thus, time continued to pass until night fell. When a whistling sound came from Lin Yuandong's direction, and the Sky Dome Nation's ruler's eyes flashed with cold light as he looked over, Zhou Xingwu rapidly approached with his subordinates.

Zhou Xingwu's expression was normal, but his heart was stirred. What agitated him was the Fate Lamp: he had indeed retrieved one! The Heavenly Wind Dynasty had actually transmitted the Fate Lamp. This fact solidified Zhou Xingwu's certainty about Xu Qing's identity by another third. Upon arrival, he clasped his fists and bowed. With a wave of his hand, a crimson Fate Lamp appeared in his grasp, which he then handed to Xu Qing.

Despite Xu Qing's control over his emotions, his heart still stirred upon seeing the Fate Lamp. He raised his hand and grasped it from afar; the crimson Fate Lamp flew to him, landing in his palm.

The Fate Lamp resembled a single blood-colored wing, not a pair, but just one. Its feathers were carved with lifelike detail, exuding waves of bloody malevolence. It was clearly a lamp primarily for combat, remarkably formidable, and its fluctuations were astonishing.

Holding the Fate Lamp, Xu Qing felt a sense of unreality. He truly hadn't expected to acquire it just like that. This was a Fate Lamp; the two he already possessed within his body had been obtained through life-or-death struggles.

"A third one!" Xu Qing suppressed the surge of emotion in his heart. He knew Fate Lamps could not be placed in storage bags, and it was not suitable to absorb it now. He would need to examine it later, so he placed the Fate Lamp inside his clothes.

Meanwhile, Qing Qiu and Ning Yan, who were watching Xu Qing place the Fate Lamp inside his clothes, felt their minds tremble violently.

"Damn the Black Sky Race! I've toiled so hard and still haven't acquired a single Fate Lamp, yet the Black Sky Race just says the word..." Qing Qiu gnashed his teeth inwardly.

Ning Yan also took a deep breath, his emotions unsettled.

"Divine Son, the Fate Lamp has arrived. What are our next steps?" The Sky Dome Nation's ruler bowed respectfully to Xu Qing, seeking instruction.

"We enter the depths of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal!" Xu Qing declared in a low voice, stepping over the line beside them.

The Captain followed closely behind, a faint, eerie glow in his eyes. Qing Qiu and Ning Yan, helpless, could only follow.

Zhou Xingwu hesitated.

"Lord Zhou, your duty is to protect the Divine Son. The path ahead is perilous; you and I must work together to ensure the Divine Son's safety," the Sky Dome Nation's ruler stated solemnly, stepping across the boundary line.

Zhou Xingwu frowned but remained silent. After a moment of thought, he led the Black-Clothed Guards and stepped in as well.

The very moment they all crossed the boundary line, an unexpected anomaly erupted in the depths of the Ten-Intestine True Immortal!

The dancing silhouette, which had once appeared in Xu Qing's perception as a hallucination, now manifested on the distant Ten-Intestine True Immortal. A phantom sea of fire subsequently formed around it, engulfing it and causing the dancing figure to sway with the flickering flames.

Vaguely, more figures materialized, and ancient chanting echoed.

This scene caused Xu Qing's heart to sink.

The Captain, however, showed a peculiar glint in his eyes. No one noticed that deep within his pupils, a face identical to his own had surfaced at that moment. This face within his pupils was opening its mouth, emitting sounds no one could hear. And its mouth shape... was uncannily identical to the ancient chanting carried by the wind.

However, the next instant, the face in the Captain's eyes vanished. He blinked, a strange smile playing on his lips. Simultaneously, the Black-Clothed Guards and the Sky Dome Nation's ruler also gazed gravely at the distant unfolding changes.

"Divine Son, be careful; something is amiss. This place is different from how it used to be. Both my past experiences and historical records indicate that such illusions typically only appear when one reaches the absolute depths."