Chapter 495: Black Clouds Pressing, Immortal Shocked and Angry

In the northwest, where the county capital is located, there are four prefectures.

To the far west lies Linlan Prefecture, which is now the Western Battlefield. Directly to the north, in the snowfields, is Taihe Prefecture, also a front-line combat zone. Nestled and enveloped between these two prefectures is a region named Yutian Prefecture. Constant melting and spreading ice from the far north nourish Yutian Prefecture, making its surface perpetually moist. Meanwhile, volcanic after-zones beneath the ground cause a continuous ascent of mist and fog into the sky, which then transforms into falling rain, hence its name. Closer to the county capital from Yutian Prefecture is Qiling, the fourth prefecture in the entire northwest.

Its name derives from a renowned mountain land within the prefecture. Mountain lands and mountain ranges are distinct. The latter extends in a defined direction, comprising numerous ridges and valleys that form a majestic mountainous body. Due to its vein-like structure, it is called a mountain range, characterized by distinct, continuous folds, which differentiates it from mountain lands. Mountain lands, however, exhibit less obvious folding and are primarily found along volcanic belts. They resemble vast, integrated complexes formed by countless independent peaks and landforms. These clustered mountains, rising in layers, form a massive mountainous family.

The Milin Tribe resides within this 100,000-li expanse of Qiling Mountain Land. Members of this tribe are notably tall, averaging five *zhang* in height. Their cultivation methods emphasize physical prowess. Especially after aligning with the Near-Immortal Clan, they were granted the Near-Immortal bloodline in accordance with the traditions of Wanggu Continent, leading to changes in their tribe, specifically the growth of wings. However, due to the Milin Tribe's immense physique, their wings offer little pure flight capability, serving mostly as a symbolic attribute. The Near-Immortal Clan values them highly because of the Milin Tribe's unique expertise in artifact forging and alchemy.

Throughout the Qiling Mountain Land, countless workshops for artifact forging and alchemy exist. Some are operated by individual tribesmen, while others involve collaborative efforts. Their numbers are vast, at least in the hundreds of thousands. The clang of forging and the medicinal aroma emanating from alchemy are ever-present in this mountain land. Geothermal fires are continuously drawn from various areas, contributing to the predominantly hot climate of the region. It can be said that at every moment, large quantities of elixirs and magical artifacts are produced by them and flow into the market. Furthermore, there are vast, restricted areas that serve as their warehouses for drying elixirs, with quantities so immense they are astounding. Their forging, utilizing geothermal fire in conjunction with their tribal talent, ensures that elixirs and artifacts from their tribe are typically considered high-quality goods in the market, fetching significant prices.

However, even with high prices, it is impossible to demand a thousand spirit stones for an elixir that typically costs twenty. Such an outrageous situation would have been inconceivable before the war. Not to mention outright purchase, even the Sword-Holding Palace would only require a single decree to acquire them. Even as vassals of the Near-Immortal Clan, the Milin Tribe profoundly understands the path of balance; they would not offend humanity over such a minor issue. Even now, facing the Sword-Holding Palace's demands, they actually have their own internal judgments.

Currently, in the ancestral temple atop the Milin Tribe's ancestral mountain, the patriarchs of its four main lineages are seated, engaged in a secret deliberation.

"Such a high price is intended to convey our stance to the Near-Immortal Clan!"

"Given the current wartime, this fertile land of humanity is highly unlikely to be retained."

The four patriarchs within the temple are clad in opulent attire, adorned with numerous luxurious ornamental magical artifacts. The temple itself enshrines two statues, one in front and one behind. The front statue resembles them, while the more revered one behind depicts a flying immortal. This is an ancestor of the Near-Immortal Clan. Before these two statues are countless rare spirit fruits and top-grade elixirs, radiating strong spiritual energy fluctuations, numbering nearly ten thousand. This signifies their reverence for the temple.

However, any single spirit fruit or elixir here is desperately needed on the front lines of the battlefield. The war to defend Fenghai County has progressed to a point where there are many wounded. Thus, while it might be an exaggeration to claim one elixir or spirit fruit could save a life, ten could come very close. But at this moment, none of the four patriarchs expressed concern for the human lives on the battlefield. From their perspective, they were only concerned with how future developments would impact their own tribe.

"However, we still need to show respect to Marquis Yao. After all, over these past few centuries, Marquis Yao has provided us with considerable convenience. To establish an image for our Milin Tribe of repaying kindness, we should still provide some elixirs."

"Agreed. We will first set a high price for the majority, thereby conveying our stance to the Near-Immortal Clan. Then, we will offer a small portion to enhance our tribe's image, and finally sell a minor quantity at a normal price, representing our attitude."

"This is, in fact, the consensus of the entire tribe. I conducted a tribal survey before coming here, and all agreed to sell at a high price at this time, after all... humanity is prosperous."

"My lineage shares this view; many tribesmen even suggested liquidating those substandard elixirs that were originally slated for discard, but that could easily stir up trouble, a pity."

"Since everyone agrees, we'll follow the established method: one lineage will support humanity, one will explicitly repay kindness, one will observe in silence while secretly contacting the Saintlan Clan to show goodwill, and one will continue to express its stance to the Near-Immortal Clan!"

"To make this matter appear more authentic, we need a few days to engage in staged arguments..."

The four Milin patriarchs exchanged smiles, then rose, ready to conclude their secret deliberation. But at that very moment, a terrifying pressure, astounding and so immense it made their hearts skip a beat, abruptly descended from the heavens. The instant the four patriarchs' expressions changed, the earth trembled and mountains shook, and a colossal roar, echoing throughout Qiling Mountain Land, suddenly erupted.

From a distance, in the sky above the Milin Tribe's ancestral mountain where the temple stood, a purplish-red light flashed. A monstrous three-headed bird, ten thousand *zhang* in size, burst forth from the clouds, its two enormous talons seizing the temple atop the mountaintop. Ignoring the mountain's defenses, the temple's restrictions, ignoring all, it pierced straight through. With a colossal roar, the entire temple, along with the statues within, instantly splintered and exploded. Furthermore, as it pierced through, the great bird's talons clamped onto the mountain itself. With a fierce flap of its wings, this ancestral mountain of the Milin Tribe, amidst violent tremors, was actually torn from the ground! Large quantities of rocks tumbled down, dust dispersed like mist, and countless shattered plants scattered as the ancestral mountain tilted into the sky.

All Milin tribesmen who witnessed this scene were dumbfounded, their minds utterly reeling. Especially conspicuous at this moment was the figure standing atop one of the monstrous bird's heads. Clad in a white Sword Holder's Daoist robe, with long hair that seemed both black and purple, and a face of remarkable handsomeness yet imbued with frosty severity – all of this, within a mere ten-plus breaths, shook the eight directions. Until Qinglin, gripping the Milin ancestral mountain, ascended. With a piercing shriek that resonated through the clouds, its talons squeezed hard, instantly causing countless cracks to appear on the entire ancestral mountain, spreading rapidly. In mid-air, it fractured into countless pieces, utterly exploding.

The four Milin patriarchs spewed blood, their faces aghast and enraged, barely managing to flee in separate directions. Looking at the collapsing ancestral mountain, the terrifying monstrous bird, and Xu Qing atop it, heart-wrenching roars erupted frantically from their mouths.

"Qinglin?!""Sword Holder!!""Senior Qinglin, why have you destroyed my tribe's ancestral temple?!"

The cultivation of these four patriarchs was at the Spirit Treasury realm, though their Secret Treasuries were not fully formed, but rather in the nurturing stage of their first Secret Treasury. In the Spirit Treasury realm, nurturing a Secret Treasury is exceedingly slow and difficult. Therefore, most Spirit Treasury cultivators are actually in the Dao-nourishing stage. Only when a nascent world form is created within the Secret Treasury, and it possesses its own Heavenly Dao, is a Secret Treasury truly completed. But even in the nurturing stage, their cultivation was sufficient to suppress all Nascent Soul cultivators.

At this moment, as these four roared, dozens of sword peaks in the distance simultaneously trembled. On either side of the outermost mountain, the previously existing lakes now churned with massive waves. Countless lake waters were swept up and converged in one direction, and a pair of eyes as vast as the lakes themselves opened from within the lakes. They stared intently at Qinglin in mid-air.

"Fellow Daoist Qinglin, why have you come here!"

After these giant eyes opened, a resonant, bell-like voice emerged from the earth, followed by a colossal figure, over eight thousand *zhang* tall, slowly rising from the ground. Dozens of sword peaks that had originally been on its body now, as it stood, instantly became its sharp spines. Especially its head, which was similarly shaped. This was the sole Returning to Void ancestor of the Milin Tribe. Dao patterns flowed in its eyes, countless illusory figures overlapped around its body, and nascent miniature worlds seemed on the verge of forming but could not truly manifest. This was the Returning to Void Second Stage Great Perfection, half a step into the Third Stage. At this moment, it appeared calm, but its heart was filled with intense apprehension.

"Gah!" Qinglin let out a disdainful cry in mid-air. Xu Qing, standing atop its right head, looked on with cold eyes, then spoke grimly.

"The four lineages of the Milin Tribe have committed 18,931 violations of human regulations over the past eight hundred years, none of which have been addressed."

"Most recently, you failed to comply with my Sword-Holding Palace Master's demand for Spirit Treasury and Returning to Void cultivators to participate in the war."

"Today, I, Xu, am here to apprehend all major criminals from these past eight hundred years!"

As Xu Qing's voice rang out, the entire Qiling Mountain Land erupted in commotion. Hundreds of thousands of its tribesmen emerged from all directions, glaring furiously at the colossal bird in the sky. Looking across, the ground was filled with gigantic figures, and the formidable blood and qi radiating from them was astonishing.

"My tribe is allied with the Near-Immortal Clan and has not violated our alliance with humanity. A Sword Holder comes here today to destroy a mountain; is this to break the alliance?!" The gigantic figure on the ground for the first time cast its gaze upon Xu Qing. "Do you intend to instigate a great internal rebellion in Fenghai County at this time of front-line crisis?"

Xu Qing's expression was calm. He turned and bowed to Qinglin's central head. "Senior Qinglin, please take action and exterminate this tribe."

Qinglin's eyes gleamed, its body trembling with excitement. It had not exterminated a tribe in a very, very long time. Many times after waking up, it would feel a pang of emotion, thinking that as a great fiend, how could it be worthy of its bloodline if it didn't exterminate tribes. Furthermore, it hadn't consumed blood food in a long time. Swallowing sky winds and clouds all day long had long since become utterly bland. But it had previously chosen restraint. After all, the human race in Fenghai County maintained the overall situation. Though it felt no particular affinity, it was too lazy to disrupt it. And its most respected eldest brother from Southern Phoenix Continent had cautioned it to curb its ferocity and not to kill various races, especially humans, lest it follow the old path of its ancestors. He advised it to make more friends; that was the path to growth. But now, since the brother its eldest brother told it to take care of had made such a request, and was also a Sword Holder, it felt there was no reason to refuse such a favorable opportunity. As for why this human and its eldest brother were brothers, that was none of its concern. It only knew that it could never repay its eldest brother's kindness, so if its eldest brother requested something, it absolutely could not disappoint him.

Thus, with an excited 'Gah!', Qinglin's entire being erupted with monstrous ferocity. Its body swayed and it abruptly charged towards the Milin Tribe.

"Wait!!" The Milin ancestor on the ground was shaken to its core and quickly spoke.

But, it was futile. Qinglin's speed was immense, descending from the sky in an instant. The earth boomed and trembled violently. Countless mountains, as this ten thousand *zhang* body descended, either shook intensely or collapsed and exploded. The storm unleashed by Qinglin also spread outward with a rumble as it descended, its aura of Returning to Void Third Stage Great Perfection erupting with it. Wherever it passed, most Milin tribesmen within a thousand *li* radius, without even the chance to resist, trembled and disintegrated directly, flesh and blood splattering everywhere, pervading all directions.

Looking down from the sky, one could see this pervasive destruction forming waves of bloody tide, staining everything red. As Qinglin excitedly inhaled, this endless river of flesh and blood surged back madly, heading towards its three gaping mouths. It was instantly devoured, like drinking porridge, merely chewing a few times before swallowing. It was a horrifying sight.

The four patriarchs' scalps tingled. They spewed blood in horror and fury, each severely wounded in the storm. Two of them were more heavily injured and slow to escape. Their vision blurred, and before each appeared a massive beak. In one gulp, they were swallowed. Screams of agony erupted, then abruptly ceased after a crunching sound. It was as if to Qinglin, these two were like peanuts, a bit more flavorful than porridge. This scene instantly pushed the Milin tribesmen's terror to its limit. The two surviving patriarchs were now pale, their minds consumed by horror and fear, frantically fleeing for their lives.

The Milin ancestor's eyes showed anger and shock. It roared, and its eight thousand *zhang* body strode towards Qinglin, attempting to intervene. After consuming the blood food, Qinglin was clearly more excited. The eyes of all three heads were blood-red, and the disheveled feathers on its body began to tremble, raising fierce winds. Its three huge mouths simultaneously opened, letting out a triumphant roar to the sky.

"Gah gah gah!"

Amidst this roar, it ignored the charging Milin ancestor, instead swiftly dodging it. Its two massive talons moved rapidly across the ground, each landing causing a tremor. Even when stepping on a mountain peak, the effect was the same. Mountains collapsed and disintegrated, pressed into the earth by Qinglin's feet. As it advanced, Xu Qing's body also rapidly retreated, leaving the head and positioning itself on Qinglin's body. Because Qinglin's three heads were moving too fast, constantly descending rapidly, like a rooster pecking at feed, swiftly striking at one wailing Milin tribesman after another on the ground. To Qinglin, these were all food.

"Senior, if there's a Celestial Palace, could you save one for me when convenient? Uh... it's okay if not." Xu Qing felt a slight urge, speaking quickly. But as he spoke, Qinglin's ferocity surged instantly. All its feathers stood on end, as if Xu Qing's words instinctively triggered its protective instinct over its food. But it quickly reined itself in, remembering how it was repeatedly taught by its eldest brother from Southern Phoenix Continent not to hoard food after meeting him years ago. So it let out a 'gah,' and with a flick, tossed a dying One-Palace Golden Core Milin tribesman from the mass of food to Xu Qing. The remaining high-palace and Nascent Soul cultivators, it worried might also be demanded, so it swallowed them all in one gulp. Xu Qing's right hand transformed into an eerie specter, instantly piercing the Milin tribesman thrown to him, extracting its Celestial Palace to absorb. He realized Qinglin wasn't willing to share... Such an entity, he could only negotiate with, not control. But Xu Qing hadn't intended to control it. At this moment, he sat down cross-legged, letting Qinglin rampage and devour within the Milin tribe.

But soon, the Milin ancestor caught up. With a roar, it directly punched Qinglin. Knowing the disparity in their power, as it attacked, the entire Qiling Mountain Land vibrated. Streams of magical arts soared into the sky, converging in mid-air to form a ten thousand *zhang* hammer. This was a forbidden artifact of their tribe, now erupting and smashing fiercely towards Qinglin. Qinglin's eyes showed ferocity. Its right head suddenly lifted, using its crown to fiercely butt the descending hammer.

With a boom, the ten thousand *zhang* hammer formed by the forbidden artifact recoiled. As for Qinglin, its right head shook a few times, completely unharmed. But it seemed this hammer strike had ignited its ferocity. Its eyes showed bloodthirsty madness, emitting a shrill sound. Its neck rapidly extended, catching up to the hammer, relentlessly smashing it. As for its left head, it also swayed at this moment and, as the Milin ancestor attacked, fiercely crashed into it. The roar was deafening. The Milin ancestor's massive body still couldn't withstand Qinglin's heads, spewing blood as it stumbled backward. But the left head was clearly also stimulated to ferocity, swiftly giving chase, becoming frenzied, either ramming, tearing, or opening its mouth to spew countless terrifying divine abilities.

The clash between them conjured wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, further affecting the surrounding climate, causing countless distortions and blurs in the world. This was already approaching the manifestation of a deity. It was a state of replacing the external Heavenly Dao with one's own Heavenly Dao. Only the central head ignored all of this, its eyes filled with greed. Its neck extended very long, continuously devouring the Milin tribesmen fleeing across the ground, one after another, eating with great relish. The rows of feather spines on its body rapidly swished.

Xu Qing watched all of this. His nature was not that of a saint, so he naturally felt no pity for the Milin Tribe. However, through Qinglin's slaughter, he gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of a 'fiendish bird.' He could feel that the more Qinglin devoured, the crazier it became, its ferocity continuously erupting, even threatening to overwhelm its rationality. And the earth was now trembling. As magical arts ascended, a colossal, hazy alchemy cauldron covering the entire Qiling Mountain Land appeared. This was also a forbidden artifact of the Milin Tribe, formed from the self-transformation of a deceased Returning to Void ancestor of their tribe. From a distance, this cauldron was immense. Beneath it, volcanoes erupted in various places within the earth veins, creating intense heat. The entire hundred thousand *li* radius was within the cauldron, being refined.

Seeing this, Qinglin's central head showed disdain. Its body shook, and a purplish-red light, startlingly, spread from Qinglin's entire body. Xu Qing was on Qinglin's body. This light automatically bypassed him, spreading above him and continuously radiating outwards. As the shrill sound from Qinglin's central head echoed through the clouds, this purplish-red light suddenly swept outwards. With a 'whoosh,' wherever the purplish-red light passed, rocks decayed, and Milin tribesmen instantly aged, as if all their life force had been swept away. Even the colossal alchemy cauldron trembled at this moment.

Seeing that the cauldron could actually withstand its innate divine light, Qinglin grew somewhat angry and swept again. The cauldron could no longer bear it, directly turning purplish-red and exploding with a bang. Even the hammer in the sky dispersed once more. The Milin tribe's ancestor let out a desperate, mournful cry. "This is the innate divine light possessed only by divine avian creatures! You have actually returned to your ancestral bloodline to the point of forming divine light!"

Qinglin's eyes were filled with fierce light. It seemed the appearance of the divine light further diminished its rationality. Even Xu Qing felt danger. Without a word, he immediately manifested his Golden Crow. At the same time, the Dawn Cloud Celestial Palace within him immediately shone, forming a dawn cloud light that enveloped the Golden Crow and himself, also sweeping outwards fiercely. Although insignificant compared to Qinglin's divine light, it looked strikingly similar.

As the multi-colored light spread, Qinglin's central head suddenly looked at Xu Qing, its eyes showing surprise and familiarity. Its rationality also returned somewhat due to this familiar sweep.

"Gah!"

Qinglin let out a happy cry. The feathers on its back rapidly tilted, protecting Xu Qing within. Its three heads then became fierce once more, all staring at the Milin ancestor. It seemed the snacks were mostly gone, and it was time for the main course.

But just then, Qinglin's three heads suddenly lifted, gazing at the sky. The Milin ancestor also retreated swiftly, its expression showing excitement, bowing towards the sky. With this bow, the sky roared, directly tearing open a huge fissure. From this fissure, three gigantic figures descended. Each of these three figures cast a ten thousand *zhang* projection behind them. They were two males and one female, clad in white robes, entirely snow-white, with white eyebrows and hair, and white wings on their backs. As for their appearance, they were all exceptionally beautiful. These were indeed members of the Near-Immortal Clan. And their auras were actually no less formidable than Qinglin's.

After they descended, the woman in the middle coldly looked at Qinglin on the ground and spoke coldly. "Qinglin, why are you devouring a tribe that is allied with us!"

Qinglin's fierce eyes swept over the three, then it spread its wings, revealing Xu Qing. Xu Qing walked out expressionlessly, moved along Qinglin's neck to its right head, and looked up at the sky. At this moment, he was enveloped by Qinglin's divine light, which shielded him from the pressure from the sky. His appearance should have drawn attention, but the three in the sky didn't even glance at him, as if in their eyes, an insignificant being like Xu Qing wasn't worthy of their gaze.

"Qinglin, we can let this matter go. You're done eating. Leave, immediately." The Near-Immortal Clan woman in the center of the sky looked at Qinglin's central head and spoke coldly. Qinglin's central and left heads ignored her, now entwined, pecking at each other's neck feathers. Only the right head was raised high, very conspicuous. It appeared as if to say, 'You talk, it has nothing to do with me.' This scene forced the three Near-Immortal Clan members to glance at Xu Qing, but still not directly.

The woman in the center directly took out a jade slip and sent a divine thought. "Fenghai County Administrator, your human Sword-Holding Palace has invaded our vassal tribe, thereby breaking our eight-hundred-year alliance. Our Near-Immortal Clan will no longer comply with your Sword-Holding Palace Master's demand that our tribe remain within our territory. The barrier preventing our movement will be immediately lifted."

"This matter is your human race's fault, not ours. Not only must you immediately provide our tribe with an explanation and hand over the culprit, but your human Sword-Holding Palace Master must also immediately provide our tribe with an explanation!"

As the divine thought of this Near-Immortal Clan woman reverberated, the world changed hue, and Xu Qing's communication jade slip also began to vibrate.

Xu Qing ignored it. On the way here, he had already thought everything through. At this moment, he spoke calmly. "I can give you an explanation."

"How about releasing the deities imprisoned in the Judicial Department? Would that be enough of an explanation?"

"The human county capital is protected by the combined power of countless forbidden artifacts from across Fenghai County. Breaking it open isn't that simple, and all its inhabitants are mortals, tasteless to consume."

"However, your Near-Immortal Clan's territory is nearby, filled with experts. Compared to hungry deities, it would be much more delicious."

"Is that enough of an explanation?"

As Xu Qing's words rang out, the expressions of the three Near-Immortal Clan members in the sky instantly darkened. The cultivator on the left snorted coldly.

"Audacious!"

As the thunderous reprimand echoed, the central Near-Immortal Clan woman for the first time truly fixed her gaze upon Xu Qing. "Interesting. With such meager cultivation, you dare to speak like this. Do you know what you are saying?!"

"Of course, I do." Xu Qing's eyes appropriately showed a hint of madness. "I also know that the northwestern battlefields are facing severe supply shortages, with a large number of deaths every moment. The front lines are on the verge of collapse, and the entire Fenghai County is in imminent danger. If supplies are not provided, the Saintlan Clan's army will inevitably break through the defenses. Given this, what do I have to fear?"

"If the front lines fall and the Saintlan Clan invades, humanity will either be annihilated or enslaved, worse than pigs and dogs. Since death is inevitable, why should the Sword-Holding Palace continue to seal deities for the benefit of other foreign races in Fenghai County? Die at the hands of the Saintlan Clan, or die at the hands of deities – there's no difference."

"In the latter case, you foreign races will also be buried with us, which is a good deal."

"So, why do you think I don't dare?" As Xu Qing spoke, he raised his right hand, and a gleaming golden token appeared in his palm. It was the Palace Master's token. This token had been granted full authority over the Sword-Holding Palace by the Palace Master. Holding the token, Xu Qing looked at the Near-Immortal Clan in the sky and spoke seriously.

"Not only do I dare, but I also have the authority to do it."

"Do you... dare?"

As Xu Qing's words rang out, Qinglin beneath him immediately trembled. The two heads that had been pecking each other's feathers also quickly lifted, looking proudly into the sky.

"Gah!"