Chapter 533: Xu Qing’s Trump Card

The key to unlocking the Land of Ferocious Dawn was those three sharp fishbone-like barbs! Xu Qing immediately recognized them; they were precisely what the giant white jade hand had seized from the Immortal Forbidden Land. Now, he finally understood their purpose.

The sky boomed. Within the second celestial veil, formed by ripples from the three barbs, black mist churned, and soul-chilling wails and howls echoed in every direction. Inside the murky, black mist, countless malevolent souls looked up and gazed outward. At that moment, the Prefect's summoning call for their return transformed into innumerable threads of karma. One end connected to the Prefect's fragmented face, while the other surged into the Land of Ferocious Dawn, entering the souls of those who had once died in the Purple-Green Feng Hai Prefecture, becoming a guiding force.

One by one, these guided malevolent souls emerged from the second celestial veil, following the karmic threads, gazing hungrily at the land and every living person within it. This was the Prefect's grand scheme. What he intended to offer his master was not merely a life fruit imbued with the vitality and fortune of all beings in Feng Hai Prefecture, but also... the return of Feng Hai Prefecture itself! This was his atonement.

Meanwhile, in one of the many imperial palaces—the very one Purple-Green had once visited—a massive eye, surrounded by countless undead spirits and hovering above a mountain of flesh and blood, suddenly quivered. Old Man Banquan Lu had previously instructed me on how to use the Xu Qing Talisman, mentioning its ability for live-target teleportation. In a moment of disorientation, I saw the Prefect's fragmented face directly before me.

"I must act!""Little Ah Qing, if both Master and I are martyred, you must come join us."

Breaking the agreement proactively, depleting his greatest reserves, and risking his own death—the First Prince found this entirely unworthy compared to an Ancient Spirit Emperor. You are too self-assured. He quickly recalled the mountain of flesh in the imperial palace, where he had first seen the Eye of Feng Hai Prefecture. The four-clawed golden dragon in the sky cried out mournfully again, its eyes instinctively drawn to Purple-Green on the ground. The oppressive force made it incredibly difficult for all to return to the void. These two divine trial puppets, shrouded in the blood rain, wielded immense divine power, and their actions blocked everything. In particular, the Prefect's white jade hand was gripping the divine finger that Purple-Green had used as bait.

"So now that you've returned to your true self, do you dare approach me?"Beneath the sky, the four-clawed golden dragon roared, looking in the same direction. He continued, reaching seventy zhang, then eighty zhang... Finally, the shadow of a child appeared, overlapping with Purple-Green, and he reached seventy-eight zhang! If those two puppets were to lose their commands and fall silent, that would be my moment to intervene and turn the tide.

A roar echoed as the Prefect's hand, pressing against Purple-Green's finger, instantly crumbled, unable to withstand the force. Due to its connection to the teleportation destination, its rank was exceptionally high. The token itself was also a rare treasure. Only when the opponent believes this is my true trump card can my ultimate move be unleashed. As Purple-Green charged, and the vast, fragmented face fixed an odd gaze upon him, his mind raced. Yet, no matter what thoughts surfaced, he knew he first had to resolve the immediate crisis. His eyes shifted, becoming bewildered, and his expression radiated divine power. Thus, he simply ignored those who looked at him. The souls from all directions would occasionally halt completely, turn to silently bow before the giant eye, and then resume their aimless drifting.

However, the Prefect was untrustworthy; he had violated their agreement, yet the First Prince's people remained unaffected. "This brat gave him a chance! For freedom, I'll fight for it, and after this, I'll surely devour that brat!" Purple-Green lifted his foot and stepped towards it. Jin Chen nodded. The Golden Crow above his head transformed into a Nascent Soul body, empowering his entire being as he advanced. Then, bathed in radiant morning light, he pressed forward once more.

"Who will win? The teleportation token Purple-Green crushed at the end has an extremely high rank, it cannot be underestimated," the First Prince murmured to himself, continuing to wait. "I need to think about what pose I'll strike when I make my move shortly, and what words I should say to make the beginning of this life even more extraordinary and world-shaking."

Before Purple-Green could even feel a pang of heartache, the divine finger was writhing in extreme pain. It roared, erupting with full force, desperate to protect the body, but it could only delay the inevitable, not prevent it. The contact was instantaneous. But now, he had no intention of holding back. The finger roared, throwing caution to the wind. Divine power erupted, causing Purple-Green's body to swell from just over ten zhang to eighty zhang tall. As Purple-Green raised his left hand, the divine finger merged with his index finger. The sky became a distorted expanse.

As for the Ancient Spirit Emperor... since he caused no disturbance, how could he claim merit? Marquis Yao's entire body erupted with purple-red light, forming a sea of brilliance that swept towards the Prefect's fragmented face. "At this moment, unless a deity descends or the Human Emperor arrives, no one of comparable rank can suppress me."

As the drawing force enveloped them, the seven individuals at the very center instantly vanished from mid-air above the Prefecture Capital Altar! Until a definitive outcome emerged, he would not commit his support to either side. Instantly, these exotic substances enveloped Purple-Green, relentlessly boring into his body. Purple-Green's expression grew helpless as his body creaked and groaned. Pushed past its limits, his physique forcibly expanded, growing from its original one zhang to two zhang, then eight zhang... Around it, fresh souls were offered, emitting wisps of soul threads that merged into the colossal eye. Simultaneously, golden dragons coiled around, forming runes that, along with the soul threads, were drawn into the giant eye.

This being once unified the entire Wanggu Continent. During its reign, Xuan You had not yet achieved enlightenment, and no divine remnant faces existed in the sky. On the ground, Ning Yan, amidst the crowd, trembled, his eyes red-rimmed, also looking toward the First Prince. And his body was surging towards the Prefect. This matter was of such magnitude that it deeply affected him. We do not touch each other.

"Good!" Purple-Green said softly, without turning around. But there were too many malevolent souls. Purple-Green was no prophet; he didn't know the Prefect's exact methods before he stepped out. He could only gauge the opponent's approximate strength, but regardless of that strength, this trump card could always be used. Historically, the only time a remnant face opened its eye for a human was for Qingqin. It grew to ten zhang tall, resembling a giant.

"Just as I expected, the divine finger within his body is his trump card. Purple-Green, your cultivation isn't strong enough; what you thought was hidden was perfectly clear to me." Purple-Green silently raised his hand. The forbidden magical treasure fire from his prefecture capital-issued gear left his body, transforming into a vast golden net. Like a guardian over the Ancient Spirit Emperor, it suddenly expanded in all directions, blocking the souls from the celestial veil. As the divine finger reacted with shock and fury, Purple-Green's divine body became a bloody mess, beginning to rot. Multiple parts collapsed, blood spilled, and many golden threads snapped. There was no sound; the entire world seemed to be a silent tableau. And the beings of Feng Hai Prefecture were merely parasitic bodies he had prepared for his returning citizens of Ferocious Dawn.

"But he repeatedly asked me that question, so I'll give him this chance to see what trump card I truly hold." This was Purple-Green's ultimate trump card! The moment it awoke, Purple-Green's body exuded an even denser divine aura. A roar, unlike any human sound, bellowed from within Purple-Green. Purple-Green remained silent, not uttering a word. In the blink of an eye, Purple-Green's index finger blazed with golden light, slamming fiercely towards the Prefect's fragmented face.

The captain's breathing quickened as his hands rapidly formed seals, seemingly sensing something. A terrifying force erupted from the white jade hand, spreading along the finger and enveloping Purple-Green's entire body. Inside the imperial palace, there stood a towering mountain of flesh and blood, above which a colossal eye floated in the sky. The captain raised a hand, counted his fingers, and sighed. Behind Old Man Yi, a hundred-zhang white jade hand materialized, shattering the distortions and striking out. This was Feng Hai Prefecture, the entity that led the Ancient Spirit Race to unify Wanggu!

Instantly, the divine finger trembled, unable to advance even a fraction, nor could it break free. It suddenly opened its eyes and glared furiously at the sky. A monumental divine thought, capable of engulfing heaven and earth and shaking the entire Ancient Spirit Realm, erupted from the colossal eye, sweeping across the boundless land. Only after its death did the Wanggu Continent descend into chaotic warfare among countless races, allowing humanity to rise and giving birth to the later Xuan You Ancient Emperor.

"If the finger's true body had appeared, it could indeed suppress me. But alas, it was consumed by the Crimson Mother. Purple-Green, you gave him a chance, but he still failed." At this moment, the First Prince's heart was also churning. He had not anticipated this layer of the Prefect's plan; he had assumed it was merely a sacrifice. He hadn't even imagined these fish bones would be used for this purpose. Here, there were no deities or Human Emperors, but there existed a being whose rank far surpassed any contemporary Human Emperor, a being that transcended even rulers.

And Jin Chen, the most cultivated person here, now displayed a look of resolve. A blood-red flower materialized above his head. As it swayed, its branches bent like a great bow, and as it withered, a sharp blood-red arrow formed. "Is this your limit?" The Prefect, standing seventy-seven zhang away, subtly shook his head. Thus, while I could intervene and prevent this tragedy, the cost would be immense, requiring me to risk my life and completely exhaust my deepest reserves. Yet, nothing was settled. These two puppets remained formidable adversaries. Only if the Prefect died, severing their ethereal connection, would they fall silent. From a distance, it resembled a white dragon ascending into the sky, soaring directly towards Jin Chen.

Purple-Green had originally intended to use that trump card on Qing Ling. Consequently, upon their forced descent, these lingering spirits, battered by the aura of the Wanggu Continent, perished miserably, with fewer than one in ten surviving. "Very well, since you care about me, I won't fuss about this. If you don't want me to unseal it now, then if I win later, there will be no reason for you to stop me." Ling Yuan's expression also showed surprise, and Marquis Yao roared. I understood that the Prefect, in his current state, could be subdued by ordinary power, but dispelling him would require an extremely high rank. Purple-Green gazed at the Prefect and suddenly spoke. The designated teleportation destination was called Jin Chen.

"It's useless. The Crimson Mother consumed the God of Ferocious Dawn, causing Ferocious Dawn to lose its suppression. That's why I'm so unfortunate; I can't stop it." For instance, if the God of Essence had arrived, or if Zhang Siyun were still present. Therefore, I didn't move. I waited for the situation to develop, while my mind rapidly calculated the most advantageous way to handle the aftermath for myself. A roaring sound boomed from within Purple-Green as the divine finger, stimulated, completely awoke. The divine finger was alarmed and furious. It wanted to escape but was restricted by the purple crystal, unable to leave. It wanted to struggle, but at this moment, Purple-Green controlled the body.

Jin Chen fell silent, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He raised his left hand, slammed it down towards the earth, and a low hum escaped his lips. The sky here was dim, and so was the land. "You scoundrel, you dare to come here again!" The tranquility seemed shattered, the slumber disturbed. Upon awakening, the earth also sensed its true body had fallen, filling it with a mix of joy and apprehension. It worried about the terrifying outside world, but rejoiced at the newfound potential to grow into its complete form.

With the Prefect's departure, this place lost its source of emitting exotic substances. The sky's distortions began to dissipate, the land's blurriness shifted, and the drastic changes within the Ancient Spirit Emperor's realm came to a halt. All surrounding exotic substances were dispelled, the sky rekindled with twilight glow, and as the land twisted, it reflected the shadows of mountains and rivers. The drawing force surged forth mightily, rising completely in an endless eruption. The opponent's rank and aura startled her, and she also perceived the seventh celestial veil, formed by the actual fishbone of its true body.

"Ah, what are you doing!" The exotic power within it surged directly from the exit, breaking through all formations and forming a thick white mist that billowed forth from the deep pit of the Prison Department. "After all... I don't even know if this will be the final seal to be broken. This old man hasn't... judging by the times, it's highly likely I'll be gone. What a pity, I'm still young. Little Taozi is still waiting for me, my sister is hoping for me, and there are many more sisters in the future. I haven't even married yet..."

The Prefect's expression changed drastically; it was too late to retreat. Faced with the crisis, the golden umbrella above the Prefect's head roared. The Prefect also gazed at him. In that instant, this drawing force expanded outwards from the few individuals at its center with a mighty roar, its immense power causing heaven and earth to lose their luster. As the sound shook the heavens, the Prefect ignored everything ahead. His eyes were fixed solely on Purple-Green from beginning to end. With a shot from the drawn bow, the blood arrow, carrying earth-shattering power and spanning like a vast rainbow, surged forth overwhelmingly, heading straight for the Prefect's fragmented face.

Each of them featured a mountain of flesh and blood, topped by an identical colossal eye. Simultaneously, Old Man Yi and the eight others battling the two puppets in the sky all struck out at that very moment, regardless of injury. As for the divine remnant face in the sky, according to the secret scrolls in the Imperial Capital, I understood that various races had been trading with it for years. But it instantly sensed that in just the time it takes an incense stick to burn, it could completely detach from Purple-Green's body, and even take control of him, which was not impossible.

The Prefect's fragmented face fell silent, giving Purple-Green a deep gaze. The divine finger's power, overwhelming and destructive, instantly neared. But just as the Prefect's hand disintegrated, a white jade hand emerged from within the Prefect's body. It began small, but instantly grew colossal, seizing Purple-Green's finger. The divine finger that had been dormant within Ding Yi inside him now stirred. Amidst the golden threads stretching through Purple-Green's flesh and the homologous exotic substances permeating Jin Chen's entire body, it suddenly awakened. Consequently, he couldn't provide the planned protection to ensure a smooth return for his people.

The Prefect didn't dodge, looking at Jin Chen with disappointment and transmitting a divine thought. Many similar imperial palaces existed even further away. As for whether it would ultimately have a real effect, Jin Chen didn't know. He also wasn't sure if returning to Jin Chen would be as safe for him as it once was. The golden light from the Prefect's fragmented face expanded, forming a discernible outline of a body. His right hand rose and swept towards the sky, instantly unleashing a burst of golden light that transformed into a vast golden umbrella above his head. From beginning to end, Purple-Green didn't spare the First Prince a single glance. He had known all along that placing hope in the First Prince would be naive.

Yet, in the end, the First Prince, who had been constantly watching the Prefect, merely blinked a few times... and did not move. But it was merely a transaction; the remnant face would not open its eye for them. While simultaneously blocking the power of Jin Chen and the eight others, the Prefect raised his left hand and pressed down on Purple-Green's approaching index finger. "You cannot come here on your own." The vast net formed by the forbidden magical treasure in the sky continuously shimmered, blocking all descending souls. Many living beings also awoke from their stupor, and the ancient mountains of the Ancient Spirit Emperor, where these events transpired, trembled.

"Fourteen zhang left." This drawing force, due to its high rank, was irresistible to Jin Chen, and likewise, to the Prefect. Because I intend to awaken Ding Yi's divine finger! The Prefect's fragmented face spoke softly. Although the integration of homologous exotic substances gave him the potential to make Jin Chen's body explode, as Purple-Green experienced his first Nascent Soul tribulation, his cultivation significantly increased, and the purple crystal could evidently emit more power.

Thus, the Nascent Souls within Purple-Green continuously exerted their power—the Poison-Bane Infant, the Purple Moon Infant, and the Ghost Emperor Shadow—providing constant support, allowing him to advance steadily, covering varying distances each time. The land was endlessly blurred. "My junior brother rarely acts recklessly; he should have his own trump card. But to act like a senior brother and try to stop me? Humph."

"Come!" But I believe that if deities can devour each other, and if the Crimson Mother can consume the Immortal Forbidden deities, then Feng Hai Prefecture, being similar to a deity, should also be willing to consume lesser beings during its recovery process to accelerate its revival. The captain fell silent, then, gazing at Purple-Green's retreating back, he suddenly smiled and spoke. As a prince, he knew too many secrets, and this understanding, developed through his experiences, allowed him to clearly assess the current situation.

Back in the Immortal Forbidden Land, Purple-Green had already realized that after the Immortal Forbidden deity departed, he could absorb the remaining exotic substances. However, his abilities were limited, and he feared awakening Ding Yi's divine finger, so he had restrained himself. Jin Chen's steps faltered, and he gasped for breath. He struggled to look up at the Prefect's fragmented face. It remained closed, as if nothing in this world could disturb its peace or interrupt its slumber. In the boundless expanse of heaven and earth, an imperial palace became visible.

But a seventh white jade hand extended from within the Prefect, pressing down once more towards Ling Yuan's arrow, Old Man Yi's divine power, and Marquis Yao's light. Everything prior had been a diversion. I couldn't doubt the Prefect's words, so before unleashing this ultimate move, I had to first reveal the divine finger to attract his attention and close the distance as much as possible. As all these thoughts churned through his mind, Purple-Green, having crossed over eighty zhang, let out a loud roar. His inherent power should not be squandered here, at this very moment. Then, noticing the changes in the world—the widespread distortion and blur—he instinctively panicked. For the Prefect, in his current state, was essentially a delicacy for the Crimson Mother.

The captain smiled, muttering to himself. Even with such mass perishing, countless malevolent souls still descended upon Feng Hai. The Xu Qing Realm was not where he led his clan to their demise; rather, he was... recovering. The time was now perfectly ripe, the fruit fully mature. He hadn't deceived the masses to become the Governor of Feng Hai Prefecture; instead, he allowed himself to possess Feng Hai Prefecture's fortune. Its name was the Xu Qing Talisman. Unfortunately, the Crimson Mother was dormant. Old Man Yi's expression became animated as he looked at the First Prince, who had remained utterly inactive from start to finish.

Beneath the Prefecture Capital, the indistinct land instantly vibrated, and countless sword pavilions collapsed as if a land dragon had stirred. The source of all this was deep within the Prison Department, originating from here... the Immortal Forbidden Land. The immense eye of the Ancient Imperial Spirit that Purple-Green had seen that day, while not as terrifying as the Crimson Mother, exerted a pressure stronger than that of an Immortal Forbidden deity, and even vaguely was somewhat more powerful than an Immortal Forbidden deity. But the Prefect was not Qingqin, and Purple-Green felt a hint of regret.

"Bai Xiaozhuo!" The First Prince narrowed his eyes. Standing on the altar, his breathing quickened slightly, and his foot twitched, poised to move. All of this meant that although the divine finger had the chance to break free, it couldn't do so quickly. This token had only one function: to teleport to a designated area. Before eighteen zhang, the White Umbrella Life Lantern Infant dimmed; after eighteen zhang, the One-Colored Wind Chant Infant became clear. Before seventy-seven zhang, the Nether Blood-Wing Infant was concealed; after seventy-seven zhang, the Remnant Immortal Devouring God Infant twisted into form.