Chapter 550: Competing with Heaven for Time Without Day Replacement

The map jade slip provided by the captain clearly indicated that the previous investigation direction was not here, so the records were not very detailed, only highlighting the general area. However, it also stated that this alliance of two races was not human. They were the Mirror-shadow Race and the Sky-faced Race. Currently, the ones who appeared before Xu Qing to demand a travel permit were from the Mirror-shadow Race.

Members of this race have bodies made of mirrors, evolving from small mirror fragments in their infancy to enormous sizes as they mature. They are one of the unusual races that emerged after the arrival of the divine remnant face. This race is hermaphroditic, with extremely fast reproduction rates. Their innate ability allows them to reflect enemies within their mirrors, thereby gaining a certain degree of control. Some even enjoy enslaving and parasitizing other races, but achieving this requires a stronger innate talent, only possessed by the nobility of their clan.

The Mirror-shadow tribesmen currently blocking Xu Qing were merely border guards of their race, mostly at the Foundation Establishment cultivation level, similar to Xu Qing's current ostensible cultivation. Thus, they dared to display their malice openly before Xu Qing, seemingly ready to charge and kill him the moment he failed to state his identity. After all, in their eyes, humans were merely a lower race.

Xu Qing remained expressionless, coolly observing the Mirror-shadow tribesmen. He noted their malicious gazes. However, this was not the time to act, as this was their territory. After scanning them, Xu Qing focused on his own reflection in their mirror bodies. Then, he took out the Yinyang Flower Sect jade slip given by the captain and tossed it over, wanting to see how they would handle a physical object.

The next moment, a Mirror-shadow tribesman, whose reflection of Xu Qing was visible in their mirror, extended a hand out of the mirror surface. This hand, which looked identical to Xu Qing's inside the mirror, transformed into a wisp of black mist as it emerged, grasping the jade slip as if examining it. Soon, they determined the result, and one by one, they frowned. The malice and greed in their eyes had not dissipated much; they repeatedly scrutinized Xu Qing, clearly unwilling to let him leave so easily.

Xu Qing's gaze turned cold, and the two sides stood in a standoff. A moment later, the Mirror-shadow tribesmen exchanged glances and chose to exercise restraint. Evidently, the deterrent effect of the Yinyang Flower Sect was still present. Consequently, the Mirror-shadow border guards descended back to the ground, merged into the earth, and vanished. Xu Qing glanced at the spot where they had disappeared; the deep black soil there remained completely normal.

This scene sparked a strange thought in Xu Qing's mind. "Why do they merge into the ground?" Xu Qing wondered, noting that this detail was not marked on the map jade slip. So, Xu Qing made a mental note of it. After retrieving the jade slip, he walked onward, entering the territory of the two races' alliance.

Although the ground here was also deep black, the sky's yellowish hue was different from that near the small altar. Perhaps due to its proximity to the Heavenly Fire Sea, the sky here was noticeably brighter. And the ground finally had no more bone pits. As Xu Qing advanced, various villages and towns appeared before his eyes. Unlike human towns, the Mirror-shadow Race's settlements were often constructed from fired earth, appearing dark and resembling mud forts.

Xu Qing saw many such structures along his journey; all of them were built this way. Even larger cities were merely more extensive and structurally complex mud forts. Overall, they exuded a sense of decay and crudeness. Within the Mirror-shadow settlements, everything was quiet; there was no laughter or bustling activity, only mirrors moving about within the mud forts, occasionally seen flying. All Mirror-shadow tribesmen seemed disinclined to speak much; often, a single glance was enough for communication and exchange. Such a race was inherently exclusive.

Xu Qing's appearance drew their attention, and malicious gazes constantly swept towards him from all directions along the way, but he had yet to encounter anyone who actively attacked. Not all Mirror-shadow tribesmen were cultivators; commoners were more numerous. However, none of their bodies had complete mirror surfaces; all had cracks, some with seven or eight, others with countless. Those with more cracks often exuded weakness and death qi. Their forms also varied; some were humanoid, others beast-like, all appearing grimy. There were even some composed of countless fragmented mirror shards, which was quite bizarre. At the same time, Xu Qing also discovered the presence of humans within this two-race alliance.

However, humans here were clearly a disadvantaged group, few in number, mostly living interspersed within the Mirror-shadow cities, holding a low status. Their expressions were mostly numb when they saw Xu Qing. Xu Qing looked upon them, powerless to change their situation. Although this area was not very far from human territories, especially after the return of the Saintlan Race, separated only by the Ciyin River, no one could resolve the curse of this domain.

In fact, humans in other domains were in a similar plight. Due to the unification by the Ancient Emperor Xuan You in the past, too many domains on the Wanggu Continent were human territories. However, the subsequent defeat of the Human Emperor Dongsheng led to countless humans being cut off and unable to return. Generations later, some might have risen, but more often, they became lower-status races. Some still knew they were human, while others had slowly forgotten over tens of thousands of years, their bloodlines becoming incredibly mixed. Still others looked towards the direction of the human imperial capital's great domain, longing to return. But the long distances and the complex relationships between various domains meant that only the powerful were qualified to return, while countless commoners lacked this ability. They could only wait, hoping that one day, a new human ancient emperor might emerge, unify Wanggu, and allow them to return. Tens of thousands of years of waiting had, by now, become an increasingly fading hope for generations of people.

Ling'er also sighed lightly at all of this. Because the Ancient Spirit Race was in the same situation; they had waited even longer, yet still without results. Although the Ancient Spirit Emperor seemed to still exist, Ling'er's experience in the Spirit Abyss caused her to question that Ancient Spirit Emperor. She wondered if he was still the Spirit Emperor who once led the Ancient Spirit Race to unify Wanggu.

Observing these sights, Xu Qing could only depart in silence, stepping from the Mirror-shadow territory into that of the Sky-faced Race. The land inhabited by this race had few plains, consisting primarily of mountain ranges. They were also an unusual race, possessing flesh-and-blood bodies, but all members wore masks on their faces, or rather, their faces *were* the masks. As for their physique, they were similar to humans but taller. Most tribesmen were over a zhang tall, and the masks on their faces did not feature conventional facial features but various patterns instead. The malevolence emanating from them was stronger than that of the Mirror-shadow Race; wherever Xu Qing passed, anyone who saw him stirred restlessly. However, the aura emanating from Xu Qing caused many Sky-faced tribesmen to restrain their malice, though some were less perceptive.

As Xu Qing traveled along the mountain ranges, he encountered several ambushes. The outcome was predictable. The cities of this race were equally tall, and they emitted a foul odor that made one uncomfortable. However, the tribesmen of this race had evidently inhaled this atmosphere for generations, so they couldn't smell it and had long grown completely accustomed to everything here.

Xu Qing saw no humans in this area. He only saw a restaurant within a Sky-faced Race city. The proprietors were an elderly Sky-faced couple whose masks conveyed a sense of benevolence. However, among the numerous bones of meat hanging at the entrance, there were human bones, as well as bones from their own race. The weak were devoured. In essence, it was the same everywhere. In the Southern Phoenix Continent, cannibalism was not uncommon among the lower strata of society.

"A chaotic era…" Xu Qing sighed softly, leaving the area. He continued until he reached the border of the Sky-faced Race territory, arriving at his destination for this journey: the Heavenly Fire Sea. What appeared before Xu Qing's eyes was an boundless expanse of crimson magma, with flames rising above it, seemingly eternal and unceasing, obscuring the view. This area was vast; even if Xu Qing ascended into the sky to look, he still couldn't see its end.

The sky here, illuminated by the fire sea, was exceptionally bright. As the flames surged, extreme heat spread from ahead. Rumbling sounds echoed within the fire sea, and occasionally, one could see bubbles bursting on the magma's surface, splashing large quantities of earthly fire, as if a flower of world destruction was blooming.

After gazing for a moment, Xu Qing surged forward, soaring above the explosions of these 'flowers of destruction.' He did not intend to absorb the fire immediately but planned to thoroughly survey the area to find the most suitable place for cultivation. After all, he didn't know if any unusual phenomena might occur when refining his soul lamp, potentially attracting unnecessary trouble and prying eyes.

Cultivators here were not uncommon. The fire from this place could, after all, be transported to outer domains, and after a certain degree of preservation, its power was considerable; it was also beneficial for alchemy and artifact refining. Thus, it held commercial value. Furthermore, some cultivators inherently skilled in fire arts also chose to practice here. So, whether they were outsiders or local cultivators, Xu Qing occasionally saw them while flying. Some were alone, others in groups of three to five, from various races. They were mostly wary of each other; whenever an outsider approached, they would immediately show hostility and quickly widen the distance. However, overall, cultivators from the Mirror-shadow Race and the Sky-faced Race predominated.

Having dealt with the Heavenly Fire Sea for years, they naturally had many ways to avoid its heat and enhance their resistance to it. At the same time, Xu Qing also noticed something peculiar: some cultivators here carried what looked like compasses, seemingly searching for something as they traveled. Xu Qing mused; his understanding of this Heavenly Fire Sea was incomplete, and this wasn't a suitable place to ask questions, so he habitually began observing.

Thus, while observing, Xu Qing sped across the fire sea. Although he restrained his speed, he was still not slow; yet, after three days, he still hadn't seen the end of the fire sea. "This area is too vast; thoroughly exploring it would take an immensely long time…" However, regarding the cultivators with compasses, Xu Qing found the answer within these three days. They were searching for a type of white stone. This stone appeared to be naturally formed within the fire sea, similar to spirit stones but clearly more valuable and not abundant. It was often hidden beneath the magma, requiring a compass to detect and retrieve. Xu Qing observed these from afar. But the other parties were highly vigilant and displayed hostility. Knowing his limits, Xu Qing did not approach. After understanding, he quickly left.

After flying for several more days, until he was deep within the fire sea and rarely saw other cultivators, Xu Qing abandoned his original plan. "Trying it here first might be good!" Xu Qing mused, looking down at the surface of the sea. Then, he raised his hand, spreading a protective aura over Ling'er. Ling'er knew Xu Qing was about to cultivate, so she obediently refrained from disturbing him, merely speaking in a clear voice, "Brother Xu Qing, you will surely succeed! My talent can now show itself a bit; I can help Brother Xu Qing sense if there are bad people around!" Xu Qing smiled. In this unfamiliar world, all he had seen these past few days was darkness, but with Ling'er's companionship, he felt no loneliness. So, after nodding, Xu Qing made all preparations, his eyes filled with anticipation, and plunged directly towards the sea surface below.

He descended instantly, flames rising around him, and the purple crystal within Xu Qing's body began to vibrate proactively. As Xu Qing opened his mouth and inhaled, the surrounding flames immediately rushed into his mouth. After swallowing them, he thought for a moment and raised his hand to touch the magma's surface. The temperature was very high, but his hand was fine. "My body should be able to withstand this," Xu Qing thought, then submerged directly into the magma. When most of his body was immersed, Xu Qing took a breath. He felt the extreme high temperature enveloping him, and the scorching sensation caused a sharp pain. "I can't go any deeper." Xu Qing mused, while vigilantly observing his surroundings, he opened his mouth and continued to draw in the surrounding flames.

Soon, as he continuously absorbed the flames, the purple crystal within his body shone with six beams of light, thoroughly illuminating Xu Qing's Sea of Consciousness. Under this light, the Soul Mist became less blurry, and the five soul lamps within it grew increasingly clear. Xu Qing's heart was full of anticipation. Although he couldn't control the direction of the light formed by the purple crystal, as long as it shone from the Sea of Consciousness into the Soul Mist, the first one to be illuminated would invariably be the Great Black Umbrella Soul Lamp. This soul lamp, which he had obtained from the Mermaid Island Temple years ago, now showed signs of melting again under the illumination of these six beams of light. A sharp point formed by an umbrella rib lost its sharpness, gradually becoming rounded and then irregularly shaped, until it finally transformed into a single drop of liquid that fell. This drop of liquid struck his Sea of Consciousness, resonating in Xu Qing's mind like thunder from heaven. As his body trembled, wisps of a wondrous substance from the soul lamp dispersed into his Sea of Consciousness and merged into his bloodline. Everything was precisely as Xu Qing had previously verified.

Xu Qing's eyes gleamed. He took a deep breath, drew in more flames, which again formed six purple lights, and continued the refining process. An hour later, a second drop of liquid fell from the Great Black Umbrella Soul Lamp. During this process, the nascent soul formed by the soul lamp also materialized, becoming blurry as the lamp melted. Xu Qing immediately paused to observe carefully. Only after confirming that his nascent soul was not damaged but rather merging with the melting soul lamp did Xu Qing breathe a sigh of relief and resume.

Thus, three days passed. Under the abundant flames, Xu Qing continuously melted the soul lamp, and his Great Black Umbrella gradually melted by thirty percent. It now looked less like a soul lamp and more like a damaged umbrella. And the concentration of the wondrous substance that formed the soul lamp in his bloodline had increased accordingly. Xu Qing had a strong feeling that once this concentration reached a certain level, he would most likely be able to forge a soul lamp entirely of his own. At this thought, Xu Qing's breathing quickened slightly, but he still restrained himself from continuing to absorb the flames, rising and swiftly departing the area.

He continued for another day, changing his location and submerging into the magma again to resume absorption. In an unfamiliar environment, Xu Qing's inherent vigilance and caution seemed to revert to how he was when he first entered the Seven Blood Eyes Sect. He knew he couldn't stay in one place for too long, as that would increase the level of danger. Now that he had moved, Xu Qing first surveyed his surroundings to ensure there were no issues. "Unfortunately, this fire sea isn't suitable for setting up formations, otherwise it would be much simpler," Xu Qing murmured. After a moment's thought, his body slowly blurred, transforming into the semi-transparent state of the Guixou Race. Using this method, he concealed himself before absorbing the surrounding flames.

The now disfigured Black Umbrella Soul Lamp melted further under the continuous illumination of the purple crystal's light. However, the closer it got to completion, the slower the lamp melted. This was especially true for the lampstand's position. Thus, three days later, when Xu Qing moved to another location, the soul lamp had barely reached fifty percent dissolution. "It's alright, there's enough time!" Xu Qing was not anxious; he maintained his rhythm, never staying in one place for more than three days, repeatedly changing locations and absorbing the flames.

In this manner, his Great Black Umbrella Soul Lamp gradually melted from fifty percent to sixty, seventy, eighty percent… During this time, some red crystals formed on his body, and he immediately collected each one as it appeared. Xu Qing wasn't sure what these items were, but it was certainly not good for them to be exposed. And his caution was not without purpose.

"High-grade Heavenly Fire Crystal!"Above the Heavenly Fire Sea, a small team of Mirror-shadow cultivators was currently speeding through the air. Unlike the Mirror-shadow tribesmen Xu Qing had seen earlier, these individuals did not have mirror bodies; instead, they possessed flesh-and-blood bodies, though their appearances varied, with their physical bodies originating from diverse races. On each of their foreheads grew a rhombus-shaped mirror shard, crimson in color, without any cracks or blemishes, appearing incredibly translucent. These were descendants of Mirror-shadow nobility, their bloodline far superior to ordinary tribesmen, and each had enslaved a member of another race to serve as their puppet body. The leader was a Mirror-shadow cultivator with three pairs of wings on his back, his body covered in dark scales. In his right hand, he held a compass, which indicated a location with a dazzling red light.

"Our luck is good today; we actually found a high-grade Heavenly Fire Crystal!""These high-grade Heavenly Fire Crystals are mostly hidden deep beneath the sea. Occasionally, a few will surge out with the bursting of magma flowers, but their numbers are scarce.""Let's hurry! If we're too late and someone else finds it, we'll have another fight on our hands."These Mirror-shadow cultivators spoke in low voices, their expressions excited, and they accelerated their advance. But the next instant, their expressions changed; the red dot on the leader's compass had directly vanished."Damn it, someone took it!""Let's continue forward and see who stole this crystal!"

Similar incidents weren't limited to them; other cultivators on different parts of the sea were also conducting their own investigations, some even noticing multiple occurrences."It appears every two or three days, and each time it appears, it vanishes instantly.""How does the cultivator who obtains the Heavenly Fire Crystal manage to find and collect it so quickly?"Further away, cultivators from the Sky-faced Race also detected this phenomenon using their compasses. While outsiders didn't know the significance of high-grade Heavenly Fire Crystals, those who had been here for years understood their immense value."For such sacrificial items to appear repeatedly in such a short time, there must be a reason!""Go invite the Grand Preceptor; his elder's compass can locate things more accurately and even penetrate fire-resistant containers to a certain extent!"

While the outside world was abuzz with activity, Xu Qing was wholly focused on melting the soul lamp within his body. At this moment, his Black Umbrella Soul Lamp had melted by more than ninety percent, just a little short of complete dissolution. "One more day at most!" Xu Qing's eyes gleamed with an unusual light. He looked around; although he wasn't aware of the external commotion, the Canglong had sent multiple warnings over the past few days, deepening Xu Qing's vigilance. So, he glanced down at the magma covering him up to his chest. Gritting his teeth, he sent Ling'er into his Canglong Celestial Palace, then his body suddenly sank deeper into the magma. Instantly, the magma closed over him, and everything around remained normal. Xu Qing's aura was also erased by the magma. However, he couldn't sink too deep, only about half a zhang. Amidst the indescribable heat that permeated his entire body, Xu Qing gritted his teeth and sped through the magma. He did this to completely dissipate his aura and traces. Only after he had moved far from his previous position and reached his physical limit did he once again sit cross-legged and fully absorb the flames.

The next instant, an endless stream of flames surged into Xu Qing's body. The purple crystal vibrated slightly, emitting even more beams of light. Thus, time slowly passed. Ten hours slipped by. Xu Qing's Black Umbrella Soul Lamp emitted a sound of shattering, and the last remaining fragment finally transformed into a drop of turbid liquid, falling into Xu Qing's Sea of Consciousness. With a thud, the droplet exploded, its reverberations continuous. The Black Umbrella Soul Lamp, after nearly a month, had completely dissolved. The lingering sound echoed like wind across water, creating endless ripples, then blew through the sky, drawing forth rolling heavenly thunder that erupted with booming roars. At this moment, Xu Qing's body trembled uncontrollably. Submerged in the magma, he suddenly opened his eyes, fearless of the scorching heat. A swirling mist rapidly filled his vision, twisting and shifting, protecting him from the magma's assault. And at this instant, the concentration of the mysterious substance that formed the soul lamp in his bloodline had reached its peak.

As the heavenly thunder continuously rumbled and the magma around Xu Qing churned, a massive vortex, centered on Xu Qing, appeared on the fire sea. Distorting all around, the vortex spun at an incredibly fast speed, yet the fire sea outside the thousand-zhang radius seemed oblivious, unaffected in the slightest, everything remaining normal. Only within the thousand-zhang radius did time seem different. Within the intensely spinning vortex, Xu Qing sat cross-legged, his body flickering with alternating light and darkness. An aura of life advancement was forming and erupting from him.

However, a larger storm was unfolding within Xu Qing's Sea of Consciousness, at the location where the Great Black Umbrella Soul Lamp had vanished. Streaks of purple threads emerged from within Xu Qing's body, converging towards that spot. As they continuously merged, a new soul lamp was forming. This soul lamp originated entirely from Xu Qing's bloodline, making it unique in all the heavens and earth! The soul lamps of every ancient emperor and every sovereign were formed in this manner. Throughout history, since the arrival of the divine remnant face, those who could achieve the sovereign rank were exceedingly rare, mere phoenix feathers and qilin horns across the entire Wanggu Continent. Therefore, the emergence of a new soul lamp was also of this nature. But at this moment, a soul lamp that had never before appeared in the world was being born!

First to appear was a purple circular jade disc, standing tilted. Around its edge, twelve hour markings emerged, each inscribed with numerous runes, making the purple jade disc appear incredibly complex and filled with mystery. And in the very center, as the purple threads from Xu Qing's entire body converged, a gnomon gradually formed, standing upright upon it! Furthermore, a cluster of lamp-light floated up, centered around the gnomon, rotating around it. Upon closer inspection of this lamp-light, one could clearly see Xu Qing's nascent soul sitting cross-legged within it! The light it emitted fell upon the gnomon, forming a pointer-like shadow with the disc, moving slowly! This was... a sundial! Xu Qing's soul lamp! Purple jade formed the disc, azure gold the gnomon. Lamp-light circled the void, time casting its shadow. Truly, the sundial's movement pushes time into eternity, contending with heaven, replacing no days!