Chapter 551: Young People Lack Martial Morality

Replacing the large black umbrella, the sundial-shaped Fate Lantern, now visible within the mist of fate, shone with brilliant light. Although its dial was made of jade, the flickering lamplight gave it a subtle, dazzling crystal texture, making it appear like a precious gem. To Xu Qing, its material seemed somewhat similar to his purple crystal, as if this Fate Lantern was an extension of the purple crystal itself. This was evident from the Shadow's intense trembling and the struggle emerging from the slumbering divine finger within the Ding Yi San Er Heavenly Palace.

The purple crystal seemed to undergo a unique transformation with the sundial's appearance. Xu Qing found it difficult to grasp the specifics. However, he could clearly feel the bone-spur-like gnomon on the sundial, emanating vibrations identical to his own bloodline—this was what his bloodline had transformed into! At first glance, the gnomon appeared to be a simple needle, but upon closer inspection, there was a small carving at its tip. If magnified many times, one could clearly see it was an ordinary-looking purple chair. Xu Qing's gaze sharpened.

The lamplight floating around the gnomon, resembling a sun, slowly orbited it while casting shadows onto the dial. These shadows moved slowly and clearly across the complex markings on the dial. Xu Qing's mind reeled. He vaguely guessed why the Fate Lantern he had forged had taken this particular form. All of this was closely related to the purple crystal.

"This is a manifestation of the purple crystal's fusion with my bloodline," he murmured to himself. "And the aura on it..." As the gnomon's shadow moved, his Fate Lantern now emitted an aura similar to that of the Bottle of Time. This was time! Yet, it was not consistent with external time. As it rotated, a vast power surged within it, affecting Xu Qing's Sea of Consciousness, causing it to churn. It also affected Xu Qing's physical body, making it tremble. Furthermore, it influenced the outside world, causing the thousand-zhang vortex to rumble as it turned, isolating the surroundings and forcibly synchronizing time within a thousand-zhang radius with Xu Qing. Consequently, the area within and beyond the thousand-zhang radius seemed to split into two worlds, with distortions erupting at the edges, twisting everything.

This was the moment a new Fate Lantern formed in the world, an anomaly emitted by the collision of Wanggu Continent's laws with it. Different Fate Lanterns produced different anomalies, all signifying Wanggu Continent's recognition of them. Very few people could recognize the origin of this phenomenon, as throughout history, those who had witnessed it firsthand were exceedingly rare.

Within this thousand-zhang radius, Xu Qing sat cross-legged, his entire body glowing with purple light. A mysterious aura enveloped him, and the turmoil in his heart churned incessantly, making it difficult for him to find peace. Gazing at the sundial that had materialized in his Sea of Consciousness, Xu Qing knew with absolute clarity that this was his own Fate Lantern, regardless of whether it was formed from the fusion of the purple crystal and his bloodline, due to the sense of shared origin emanating from the sundial. This feeling was completely different from when he had acquired other Fate Lanterns.

Other Fate Lanterns, even when integrated into Xu Qing's body, ultimately had no connection to his bloodline; for him, they were mere lifeless objects. He could use them and borrow their power, but he could never reach the heights of their true owners. Therefore, for cultivators on the Wanggu Continent, Fate Lanterns, though excellent and precious, were only useful below the Spirit Treasure realm. Once a cultivator reached the Spirit Treasure realm, they became useless and even needed to be removed from the body to reduce karmic entanglement. This was a common experience for all cultivators who could not integrate others' Fate Lanterns through bloodline fusion.

But from this moment on, for Xu Qing, it was different. This Fate Lantern, born from his bloodline, could transform into a massive furnace when he reached the Spirit Treasure realm, laying a foundation for his Spirit Treasure similar to that of a sovereign. Under that furnace, once Xu Qing entered the Spirit Treasure realm, he could refine all materials within his Secret Treasure, making them his own, strengthening his Secret Treasure, and paving the way to ultimate power. This was an unparalleled advantage possessed only by the descendants of ancient emperor-sovereigns. Xu Qing, however, had gone even further. He was not merely a descendant enjoying inherited blessings; he was the creator of his own blessings. Thus, the Fate Lantern itself held many mysterious abilities that he needed to develop.

For now, he could only sense that his Fate Lantern's power was related to time. As for its might, he hadn't tested it yet, but an innate sense told him that his Fate Lantern's combat power was similar to other Fate Lanterns; it wasn't the kind that instantly possessed overwhelming power, capable of suppressing all directions regardless of cultivation level. Xu Qing felt a slight regret. But he understood that wasn't realistic.

"The biggest difference between my Fate Lantern and others' is life versus death. Others' Fate Lanterns are lifeless objects to me, with no potential; they are merely borrowed. But my own Fate Lantern is tied to my life; it possesses infinite potential and can grow with me. As for the power of time on it, that should be from the purple crystal."

Xu Qing pondered. As for the specifics, he knew his current environment wasn't suitable for deep contemplation, as the thousand-zhang vortex around him was far too conspicuous. Meanwhile, Ling'er's urgent voice transmitted to him. "Brother Xu Qing, run! Bad people are coming, so many bad people!" Ling'er's voice was tense. Although Xu Qing's Heavenly Dao warning was also strong, it had been consistently intense for days without significant change, indicating that Ling'er's perception was more precise. Therefore, Xu Qing didn't hesitate. Suppressing all other thoughts, he sank into the magma, swiftly moving forward to quickly leave the area. At the same time, he collected the red crystals that had precipitated from his body after the Fate Lantern's formation. This time, a considerable number of crystals appeared—more than twenty at once. As he departed, the thousand-zhang vortex gradually slowed down.

Three hours after Xu Qing left, the vortex completely dissipated. Soon after, a group of Mirror Shadow Clan cultivators arrived, howling from the distance over the Sea of Heavenly Flame. The moment they approached, even though the vortex had vanished, its residual power was still astonishing. As soon as the Mirror Shadow Clan cultivators got close, someone immediately exclaimed, "Something's wrong here!" As he spoke, the exclaiming person rapidly retreated. His parasitic body visibly withered before their eyes, not from life force being plundered, but from the passage of life itself! This sight caused a drastic change in his expression. The other Mirror Shadow Clan cultivators also gasped.

"Either a powerful individual descended here, or some mysterious time-related artifact appeared beneath the Sea of Heavenly Flame. This matter is huge!""Furthermore, the compass just detected over twenty high-grade Heavenly Flame Crystals appearing at once. This quantity... we could start a war over it!"After exchanging glances, apprehension and greed flickered in their eyes. "The Imperial Advisor is on their way. Let's investigate first! Inform all our clan members in the Sea of Heavenly Flame to come here immediately!" After transmitting messages to each other, these Mirror Shadow Clan cultivators immediately dispersed to search.

At the same time, not only did Mirror Shadow Clan cultivators arrive, but more cultivators from afar, sensing the compass's changes, also rushed towards the location, their breaths quickening. Some traveled alone, others in groups. The most numerous were the Heaven-Faced Clan, who rushed from another direction towards this area of ten thousand square miles, as if an invisible vortex were drawing cultivators from all directions.

At this moment, Xu Qing's Heavenly Dao warning was exceptionally strong, and Ling'er's voice trembled as she spoke rapidly. "Brother Xu Qing, too many people are coming, and I also sense two very strong presences rushing from even further away." Xu Qing frowned. His first thought was that the vortex formed by his Fate Lantern had attracted widespread attention, but this couldn't explain the numerous Heavenly Dao warnings he'd received earlier. "Could it be those red crystals?" Xu Qing pondered, but in an instant, his body abruptly halted. He raised his right hand and pressed it towards the magma above him.

Almost the moment he pressed, a powerful force descended from the sea of fire, forming a giant mask that plunged into the magma, colliding with Xu Qing's palm. With a roar, a hundred feet of magma in the area depressed by ten feet. As flames splattered, Xu Qing's figure was revealed. The pressure from within the sea of fire, under the impact of the force from above, showed signs of bursting, like a squeezed balloon. The next instant, Xu Qing shot upwards. The magma sea of fire surged from within, erupting into a gigantic flame flower with an earth-shattering roar. As flames rained down, Xu Qing saw the person in mid-air who had attacked him.

It was a Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator, nearly seven zhang tall, whose imposing stature filled the sky with a majestic aura. His golden armor, in particular, gleamed blindingly in the fiery light. His cultivation was extraordinary. Seven Nascent Souls sat cross-legged within him, manifesting as seven giant masks outside his body, each with closed eyes, at the peak of the second Nascent Soul Tribulation, seemingly not far from the third. One of them had just struck Xu Qing.

"Sneaking around, stealthily moving through the magma. You despicable human, are you trying to avoid being found?" The Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator coldly looked at Xu Qing. His face was composed of numerous colorful lines, and at the position of his eyes, the lines swirled, forming two vortices that served as his gaze. These eyes were extraordinary, possessing special powers, which was why he could see Xu Qing beneath the magma. "The Mirror Shadow Clan is sealing off the area. Are they looking for you?" The Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator stared at Xu Qing, walking closer step by step, and spoke indifferently. "Then I suppose you're the one who took the Heavenly Flame Crystals. I only need five. Give them to me, and I'll pretend I didn't see you. You can think about it, but don't take too long; there are many cultivators searching here."

Anyone facing such words in such an environment, unless their cultivation was overwhelmingly superior, would inevitably deliberate. So, the moment he spoke, the Heaven-Faced Clan member's body abruptly swayed. His speed suddenly erupted, raising a terrifying aura as he charged straight at Xu Qing. His speed was astonishing, closing the distance in an instant. He was banking on the moment Xu Qing would ponder, but his assumption proved wrong. Xu Qing didn't deliberate at all and attacked simultaneously. For Xu Qing, such rhetoric was insignificant; he saw through the opponent's intentions clearly. In an instant, a roar filled the area. The Heaven-Faced Clan member rapidly retreated, his expression changing, a strange glint in his eyes.

"Thirteen Nascent Souls, five Fate Lanterns!!""No wonder something felt off; you're not from the Sacrificial Moon Great Domain!" The Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator looked excited and licked his lips. "You actually have five Fate Lanterns, such treasures! It seems you're a great human prodigy from outside our Sacrificial Moon Domain... I wonder what you'd taste like." As he spoke, the Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator formed hand seals. Instantly, the seven Nascent Soul faces behind him all opened their eyes, staring collectively at Xu Qing, and sharp sounds emanated from their mouths. The sound pierced the air, forming ripples and an astonishing aura.

Xu Qing's body also retreated. The Shadow discreetly spread out, the fish bone was in his hand, and killing intent filled his heart. He knew clearly that he had to end the battle quickly, otherwise, if more enemies were drawn, leaving would be incredibly difficult. So, with a flicker, wings formed on his back, his speed surged, and he shot directly towards the incoming enemy. The Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator sneered and charged out as well.

Before their paths could collide again, Xu Qing's pupils suddenly constricted. He saw a blurred figure silently appear behind the Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator in that very instant. Without any warning or sign, as the Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator remained completely unaware, the figure raised its left hand to its mouth, making a shushing gesture towards Xu Qing. Then, it raised its right hand and pressed down on the Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator's head. A cultivation level infinitely close to the Spirit Treasure realm flashed fleetingly from the figure. The Heaven-Faced Clan cultivator couldn't resist at all; the horror on his mask became eternal the moment he realized what was happening.

With a bang, his towering body instantly disintegrated, and so did his seven Nascent Souls—all of them collapsed, leaving only the mask on his face. Countless flesh and blood, along with the spiritual essence of the Nascent Souls, were drawn directly to the mask, turning it blood-red. Then, the blurred figure who had killed the man with a single blow raised its hand and seized the mask. "Good luck. This little Heaven-Faced Clan fellow was indeed a noble. I've collected another 'Heavenly Eye'."

As the hoarse voice emanated from the blurred figure, Xu Qing felt as if facing a great enemy and immediately retreated. The figure became clearer at this moment. It was a gaunt old man, skeletal in appearance, with cold eyes and an aura emanating malevolence, but he appeared to be human. He glanced at Xu Qing. "An outsider human?"

Xu Qing was extremely wary, taking a few steps back. The anti-toxin power circulated throughout his body, the fish bone was concealed, and the Shadow hid within the firelight, circling him from all sides without revealing a trace. The human elder before him exerted immense pressure on Xu Qing. The opponent's cultivation seemed to be at the Spirit Treasure realm, yet it also seemed not to be, clearly concealed. Regardless, it was at least at the grand completion of the fifth Nascent Soul Tribulation. As for the old man's remark, Xu Qing couldn't immediately discern his intentions, so he chose not to answer. He didn't believe the other party would linger here after killing the Heaven-Faced Clan member.

Xu Qing's judgment was correct. As the old man spoke, his gaze swept around, then returned to Xu Qing. He didn't seem to mind Xu Qing's silence. Instead, he raised his right hand and formed a hand seal. Instantly, a human bloodline fluctuation surged from both of them simultaneously. Seeing this, the old man's expression softened slightly. "Kid, since you're also human, let me give you a heads-up: quickly put the Heavenly Flame Crystals from your storage bag into this box, if you don't want to be hunted by all the cultivators in the Sea of Heavenly Flame." As the old man spoke, he raised his right hand and tossed out a black jade box, which floated on the magma. The jade box was made of a special material; it floated normally on the magma, unaffected by the flames. "This item costs ten thousand spirit stones, including information and the box itself!" The old man glared at Xu Qing. At this moment, a burst of aura erupted in the distance, rapidly approaching.

Xu Qing didn't say another word. He took out a storage bag, threw it over, and turned to leave. His speed was incredible, and he vanished in an instant. "You don't want the box?" The old man had just opened his mouth when the box on the magma abruptly vanished. This sight made the human elder raise an eyebrow. "He has some tricks." With that, he turned and flashed away in another direction, disappearing in an instant.

There was rarely sudden goodwill in this world, so when the old man asked for spirit stones, Xu Qing actually felt a sense of relief, though his vigilance naturally didn't decrease. As he left, he fully concealed his aura, observing his surroundings. After confirming that the old man wasn't following, he released his poison, letting it spread in all directions. This was to double-check. As for the black box, he had the Shadow envelop and retrieve it. Now, as he sped away, the Shadow also transmitted emotional fluctuations to him, confirming that the box contained no hidden mechanisms; it was merely a box made of a special material. Only then did Xu Qing take it, inspect it again, and after confirming it was safe, he released his poison restriction to spread throughout its interior, finally feeling at ease. He then plunged into the magma, placing all thirty-odd red crystals from his storage bag inside it.

"Based on my previous judgment and what that Heaven-Faced Clan member said, the Heavenly Flame Crystals I possess are likely the red crystals formed by the burning of Fate Lanterns in this place. This box can evade detection. I need to verify this quickly." Xu Qing flew out of the magma, lost in thought. Since the Heaven-Faced Clan could see beneath the magma, stealthily moving within it was pointless. Xu Qing's eyes gleamed with a faint light, and he vanished into the distance.

Thus, four days passed. During these four days, perhaps the box truly worked. Although Xu Qing still encountered foreign cultivators, most ignored him and swept past. Occasional individuals who tried to stop and inspect him were instantly killed by Xu Qing. He also acquired a compass, and more than one black box. These items seemed common; most cultivators here possessed them. Some were empty, while others contained a few white stones. Xu Qing also tested it in a secluded spot, discovering that his red crystals would appear on the compass once removed from the box, but would be hidden when placed inside. "It's indeed effective!"

Despite this, Xu Qing still discarded the old man's box. Even though he had previously detected no issues, he couldn't guarantee there weren't methods he couldn't detect. Before discarding it, however, he placed some poison inside. Then, using a box he had seized, he continued to store his crystals as he gradually moved away from the Heavenly Flame region.

One day after he left, at the spot where he had discarded the box, the mysterious human elder suddenly appeared. After searching for a bit, he found the box. But the moment he touched it, the old man's expression changed. He quickly threw it away, immediately took out an antidote pill and swallowed it, muttering curses. "What the hell? Are all young people from outside domains so cunning? Not only do they litter, but they also use poison! No martial ethics!" The old man grumbled sullenly and was about to leave, but the next instant, he looked down at his decaying hand. Realizing the antidote pill had no effect, he gasped. "What kind of damn poison is this?!"

As the old man felt his heart pound, Xu Qing was on the Sea of Heavenly Flame, coldly observing a trembling Mirror Shadow Clan cultivator before him. The cultivator originally had three companions, summoned by their clan to help blockade and inspect this large area. Upon seeing Xu Qing, they had approached to question him and even attempted to inspect his storage bag. Xu Qing had encountered such incidents several times in the past few days. He wasn't the only one being searched; apart from the Heaven-Faced Clan, the Mirror Shadow Clan was inspecting all other foreign clans. So, Xu Qing took action. After killing several of them, he captured this individual alive and had a "friendly chat."

"The purpose of those high-grade Heavenly Flame Crystals is for sacrifice to the Red Moon Temple. The Red Moon Temple arrives once every hundred years, floating beneath a fissure deep within the Sea of Heavenly Flame, awaiting offerings from various clans in the vicinity. Heavenly Flame Crystals are one such offering. In addition, other demands are made each time, all of which must be met." The Mirror Shadow Clan member before Xu Qing spoke, trembling. He was covered in wounds, especially the mirror on his glabella, which had over a dozen cracks. A fish bone floated just before his glabella.

Xu Qing's eyes showed contemplation. This was already the fourth Mirror Shadow Clan cultivator he had questioned on his journey, and the answers were consistent. He also learned that the Mirror Shadow Clan's Imperial Advisor had arrived and was also in the Sea of Heavenly Flame. He also knew that the Imperial Advisor's cultivation was at the Spirit Treasure realm, and that there were a total of three Spirit Treasure realm experts within the Mirror Shadow Clan. As for the specific number of Secret Treasures they possessed, ordinary clan members did not know. Presumably, the Heaven-Faced Clan was in a similar situation.

"No Return to Void?" Xu Qing was a little surprised. He didn't believe there were no Return to Void cultivators, and even if there truly weren't, Spirit Treasure realm experts still posed a considerable threat to him. Therefore, Xu Qing became even more vigilant and glanced at the fish bone. The Vajra Sect Ancestor within the fish bone immediately understood. With a sharp thrust, the fish bone directly pierced the mirror, and amidst the echoing crack, the Mirror Shadow Clan cultivator was utterly annihilated, body and soul. His Nascent Soul had already been taken by Xu Qing earlier.

As Xu Qing turned to leave, more than ten Sky Devil bodies could be seen floating behind him. They floated around Xu Qing like chilling specters, imbuing his entire being with an eerie aura. "Regardless, it's best to leave first," Xu Qing pondered, flying towards the shore. Even he couldn't stay long in this Sea of Heavenly Flame region. The fiery energy between heaven and earth was ubiquitous, and especially with each explosion of magma flowers, the temperature here intensified. Xu Qing could feel his body nearing its limit of endurance, so he planned to return to shore to rest and then find another direction to continue refining his Fate Lantern. After all, there were too many cultivators from both clans in this area of the Sea of Heavenly Flame. Additionally, he needed to find a safe place to study the specific functions of his sundial-shaped Fate Lantern. Although he had been investigating these past few days, dangers lurked everywhere, making it impossible to focus. "And what about that old man?" Xu Qing had also asked the Mirror Shadow cultivator about this question, but according to their description, they knew nothing. It seemed likely that the human elder's revealed appearance was also false. All of this made Xu Qing very wary.

Thus, several days later, with caution, Xu Qing finally left the Sea of Heavenly Flame and arrived at a shore. There, he chose a barren mountain peak, dug out a cave dwelling, and set up a formation as his temporary residence. Only when everything was arranged did Xu Qing, sitting cross-legged inside, let out a long sigh of relief. After finally feeling a semblance of security, he didn't hesitate. He immersed his mind into his sundial-shaped Fate Lantern, using the subtle pull within his bloodline to carefully uncover its functions.

Time flew by, and seven days passed. Inside the dark cave dwelling, Xu Qing slowly opened his eyes, a hint of excitement surfacing on his face. "So that's how it is."