Chapter 552: Time Frozen

The life lamp, formed by the fusion of the purple crystal's light with Xu Qing's bloodline, revealed its abilities were indeed related to time, but not exclusively so. For instance, the soul protection of the large black umbrella did not vanish when it was dissolved; it still persisted, and even became stronger than before. Additionally, the sundial's time differed from the outside world's by more than seven hours.

Xu Qing didn't know what secret this time difference held, and even after much thought, he found no answer. During the first seven days, he attempted to accelerate the sundial, but the lamp flame, transformed from his Nascent Soul, seemed to be pulled, making it impossible. The same applied to reversing time or making it pause. Despite sharing a common origin with him, the sundial rotated independently. Even when Xu Qing withdrew his Nascent Soul, the lamp flame remained, continuing its movement in a fixed manner. This state was similar to when Xu Qing first acquired the purple crystal, until he conceived a solution.

He couldn't alter the lamp flame's rotation or make the dial spin on its own, but he could control the gnomon. Ultimately, the gnomon was truly forged from his bloodline. He could control the gnomon, allowing it to detach from the dial and fly out. During his attempts, he discovered that the moment the gnomon detached, the dial seemed to lose its orientation and guidance, and the lamp flame paused, no longer moving. Consequently, the concept of time ceased, and no matter how the lamp flame shone, it was merely translucent. There were even faint signs of the dial beginning to decay.

However, when Xu Qing reinserted the gnomon, the sundial recovered, and the lamp flame continued to move, with the pointer's shadow following as usual. In terms of time, the movement resumed from the exact moment the gnomon had flown out. To some extent, the time between the gnomon's departure and its return seemed to have vanished.

"So, it can also be understood as being static," Xu Qing murmured, his eyes gleaming with a profound light. He felt his method might not be entirely correct, but regardless, this was the first ability he had discovered from the life lamp.

The moment the sundial lost its gnomon and time seemed to freeze, Ling'er, who had been peeking from Xu Qing's sleeve and attempting to climb towards his ear, instantly froze when Xu Qing looked down at her. It was as if her time had been halted. This process, however, lasted only an instant before resuming. Compared to his discovery of the dial's decay, this finding caused a massive ripple in Xu Qing's mind.

"When I remove the gnomon for an instant, time around me will freeze under my gaze," Xu Qing quickly tried again several times. Ling'er remained bewildered and unaware of her repeated stoppages. She struggled to climb towards Xu Qing's ear, her body pausing and resuming. A distance that would normally be covered quickly now seemed incredibly vast to her. Finally, after a while, she reached Xu Qing's ear and shyly looked at him.

"Brother Xu Qing, why are you looking at me like that?" Xu Qing found this phrase familiar, but with his thoughts swirling, he merely nodded without dwelling on it and then asked, "Ling'er, did you feel anything unusual just now?" Ling'er looked surprised and shook her head. Xu Qing looked thoughtful and continued his research. Ling'er curbed her curiosity, knowing that Brother Xu Qing was busy. So, she found a comfortable position and amused herself, swaying back and forth.

Xu Qing pondered, "Ling'er didn't notice she had stopped. So, how wide is the range of this ability?" With a thought, Xu Qing stepped out of his cave dwelling. He observed the dim sky and the land outside, felt the wind carrying intense heat, and gazed towards the blazing sea of fire in the distance. After some thought, he still didn't dare to go there.

Xu Qing felt that with his current cultivation level and this newly formed sundial, if he were to broadly unleash the power of stasis – for instance, by gazing at the rotation of the starry sky, the flow of the wind, or the trajectory of the world – his most likely outcome would be instantaneous annihilation of body and soul. If the operation of the Ancient Continent were likened to a galloping beast, and every law within it a part of the beast's power, then at this moment, he was merely an insignificant rope. Using such a rope to restrain the colossal beast, the outcome would be imaginable.

"Better not…" Xu Qing fell silent, but he believed that if this ability were deployed in combat, its power would be astonishing. "I'll name this ability 'Temporal Stasis'," Xu Qing murmured. He had a feeling that the sundial life lamp had more abilities yet to be discovered, requiring slow and deliberate research and development.

"There's no rush for this. The most important task now is to refine the other four life lamps." His body had recovered to peak condition over the past seven days, allowing him to continue his cultivation in the Heavenly Fire Sea. Furthermore, after enduring the lava's engulfing flames, his resistance to Heavenly Fire had also improved. Thus, Xu Qing wasted no time. He sped through the dimness, gradually entering the fiery region and stepping into the sea of flames.

This time, Xu Qing learned from his past lessons. He ventured to a more distant location, paying close attention to the appearance of red crystals on his body and changing areas more frequently. He also ensured that his assimilation process could proceed safely. As for whether a thousand-foot vortex would ultimately appear, Xu Qing wasn't sure. There was no way to conceal this, so he chose a more remote location.

Twenty days passed like this. The refinement of the Seven-Colored Wind Chime Life Lamp, whether due to the sundial's blessing or the lamp's inherent properties, proceeded faster than the black umbrella life lamp. As it melted drop by drop, the concentration of life lamp material in Xu Qing's bloodline increased again. This familiar sensation made him realize that his own life lamp was about to form.

Finally, on the twenty-second day, Xu Qing, immersed in the lava, sharply opened his eyes. A thousand-foot vortex appeared around him, rumbling as it spun, and the Seven-Colored Wind Chime Lamp completely vanished. Within Xu Qing's Sea of Consciousness, a life mist materialized, forming an exact replica of the first sundial! This was truly how a life lamp, born from the lifeblood, should appear. The rulers and their descendants all had life lamps that looked like this. For outsiders, assembling a complete set was infinitely more difficult than merely piecing together life lamps.

Upon its appearance, the gnomon's shadow on it began to move. In terms of time, it also had a difference of seven hours, just like the first sundial life lamp. The simultaneous operation of both sundials caused an even more intense collision of time flows within and outside the thousand-foot radius, faintly accompanied by spatial fissures. Even the True Continent itself was being torn apart, a terrifying sight. Simultaneously, Xu Qing also felt the abilities of his second life lamp. It retained the original physical protection of the Seven-Colored Wind Chime, and the mutual enhancement formed between the two lamps was particularly astonishing, far surpassing their previous states. As the flow intensified, it became unstoppable. The Temporal Stasis technique he had previously researched also saw its power surge twofold.

As for the red crystal, Xu Qing immediately collected it and placed it inside a box to isolate its aura. Logically speaking, his refinement this time had been as discreet as possible. Only this vortex might attract attention, but since the location was remote, its attractive range would be limited. It wouldn't be very large, far less sensitive than the compass that detected Heavenly Fire Crystals.

Xu Qing originally thought this would allow him to avoid trouble to the greatest extent, but sometimes, destiny is unpredictable. For instance, at this very moment, within the thousand-foot radius, as the vortex continuously spun, three red crystals were unexpectedly drawn out from the depths of the lava, rotating with the swirl. Upon seeing them, Xu Qing's expression changed, and he instinctively moved to collect them, but after a moment's thought, he gave up. Collecting them now wouldn't prevent detection anyway. So, Xu Qing gritted his teeth, ignored them, and swiftly departed. He didn't value these items; if they could divert attention, it would only aid his concealment.

Although the situation in the Heavenly Fire Sea a month prior had eventually subsided, the Mirror Shadow Race and Heavenly Visage Race had not given up. The truth was, their subsequent calculations showed that dozens of Heavenly Fire Crystals had appeared. Even if there were some duplicates, the true number wouldn't be insignificant. After all, over twenty appeared simultaneously during the last incident. This quantity was enough to warrant their serious attention, almost prompting the National Teacher to come in person. The moment the Heavenly Fire Crystals were drawn out from the seabed by the vortex, they immediately pinpointed the location. They initially expected them to vanish instantly, just like last time. However, discovering that they hadn't disappeared this time, their objective became incredibly clear, and they rushed straight towards that location.

Xu Qing, moving away from the vortex, maintained an extremely fast pace without any pause, but he soon noticed something amiss. A team of Mirror Shadow cultivators in the distance seemed able to pinpoint Xu Qing's escape. With a whistle, they intercepted him from another direction. Among them were four Golden Core cultivators and two emanating Nascent Soul fluctuations. One was a first-tribulation, and the other a second-tribulation. Upon noticing Xu Qing, their expressions became elated. The Golden Core cultivators retreated to immediately notify their clan, while the two Nascent Souls rushed directly towards Xu Qing.

"They can still find me?" Xu Qing frowned. He profoundly felt the trouble caused by his lack of information and intelligence in this unfamiliar place. "Can the fire crystals be sensed even when inside the box?" A murderous glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. Having been fleeing for some time, his killing intent had long accumulated. Now, seeing this situation, his murderous resolve intensified. Since information was scarce, he might as well kill a few more; he was bound to find out the reason eventually.

Xu Qing's internal poison restriction dispersed once more. The shadow also couldn't hold back, and the fishbone emitted sharp thorns. All his Nascent Souls erupted with fluctuations, ready to strike. But just then, a familiar, blurred figure appeared extremely abruptly behind the two Mirror Shadow cultivators charging at Xu Qing. Raising both hands, it struck one after another. Faced with absolute power, the two Mirror Shadow cultivators were horrified and utterly unable to dodge. The moment their screams erupted, they instantly collapsed and exploded, their flesh, blood, and Nascent Souls shattering together, then rapidly coalescing just as Xu Qing had witnessed before. This time, instead of forming a mask, they converged into a mirror belonging to their race, which the human elder snatched away. His body swayed, and those Golden Core Mirror Shadow cultivators who had transmitted messages to their clan, having no right to resist, perished miserably in an instant, transforming into mirrors that were then collected.

Having done all this, the human elder turned and glared at Xu Qing. Xu Qing frowned and looked back at him, noticing that the elder's right hand now had a mirror-like glove, which offered some form of insulation.

"Kid, why are you so troublesome!" the elder said angrily. "If it weren't for the fact that we're both human, I wouldn't bother with you! You're clearly a human from an outer region, perhaps from the Imperial Capital Great Domain, one of those noble descendants? Are you so reckless here because you rely on your good aptitude and complete set of life lamps? Let me tell you, this is the Great Domain of Sacrifice Moon. Here, humans are a lower race, they are food! And the beings of the Great Domain of Sacrifice Moon, once they understand their fate, cruelty and savagery become an instinct for everyone. Believe me, if you continue like this, in less than two months, you'll be displayed in the holy cities of the Mirror Shadow and Heavenly Visage races, and they'll savor you bit by bit!"

The human elder immediately launched into a harsh scolding. Xu Qing remained impassive, stepping back a few paces before speaking calmly. "What do you want to say?"

"What do I want to say? You brat, why did you throw away the box I gave you? Do you know that the National Teacher of the Mirror Shadow Race has special abilities and can see through most concealment techniques? Only my box, blessed by me, can block their perception. I kindly sold it to you, and not only did you discard it, but you also poisoned me! Give me the antidote!" The elder rambled on for a while before finally getting to the point.

Xu Qing was expressionless. Unwilling to prolong the encounter, he took out a pill bottle and tossed it over. "My poison is a compound. For the antidote, swallow three pills continuously for seven days, precisely at sunrise each morning, and circulate your cultivation seven times in place. Since there's no sun here, you'll have to estimate the time yourself, and the dosage should be doubled. You must not stop during this period." As Xu Qing spoke, he threw another pill bottle. "You've already been poisoned, so there's no time to waste. Otherwise, if you can't be cured, don't blame me." As Xu Qing spoke, he prepared for the elder's potential attack and rapidly retreated.

The human elder grabbed the pill bottle. Just as he was about to speak, a surge of energy locking onto their location came from afar. His expression changed, and after glaring fiercely at Xu Qing, he turned to leave. But in the end, he sighed and tossed another box to Xu Qing. "I hope your antidote is real. Keep this; it can provide concealment." Having said that, the elder swiftly departed.

Xu Qing pondered, took the box, and left as well. After analyzing the elder's words on the way, Xu Qing's eyes showed resolve. He tried replacing the box and then sent this new box to Sector 132, using the aura of the divine finger to suppress it. Then, he took out a different poison restriction to diffuse, finally releasing his Purple Moon Nascent Soul to cleanse it. Only then did he accelerate his rapid travel.

Five days passed in a flash. During these five days, Xu Qing no longer encountered Mirror Shadow cultivators who seemed to know his whereabouts. Even when he occasionally met members of their race, they merely hurried past, paying him no mind. "Could that old man have been telling the truth?" Xu Qing hesitated. The antidote he had given the elder was fake. The poison from his poison restriction had no medicinal cure; the only way to remove it was for him to personally withdraw it. Xu Qing pondered. The matter still had some doubts and peculiarities, so he chose not to focus on it. Instead, he found a place to continue refining his third life lamp.

This was the Underworld Spirit Blood Pool Lamp, specifically its left wing. "Other people's life lamps all look the same, but only this Underworld Spirit Blood Wing is divided into left and right…" Xu Qing gazed at his third life lamp, a few conjectures rising in his heart, and then began the refinement.

Seventeen days later, in the western part of the sea of fire, a thousand-foot vortex reappeared over the vast lava. This time, it finally returned to normal; no Heavenly Fire Crystals were drawn out, and the fluctuations here, due to the remote location, didn't attract any attention. Several hours later, as the thousand-foot vortex vanished, Xu Qing was already speeding away in the distance. His expression showed some fatigue, and his body's endurance to Heavenly Fire had reached its limit. He needed to return and rest before he could continue. However, the excitement in his eyes did not diminish with his exhaustion; it only grew.

"Three sundials!" Xu Qing's third life lamp had now been replaced by an identical sundial. The enhancement from their shared origin was now even more potent, increasing Xu Qing's speed by about seventy percent compared to before. Now, moving at full speed, ordinary cultivators couldn't discern him with their naked eyes, seeing only afterimages. "I wonder what will happen when all five lamps form a complete set." A strong sense of anticipation arose in Xu Qing's heart. He vaguely felt that once all five life lamps were refined, and the sundial life lamps formed by his bloodline became a complete set, even more profound changes might occur. With this thought, Xu Qing took a deep breath, invoked his speed enhancement, and surged forward.

Several days later, Xu Qing, who was speeding along, suddenly halted on the sea of fire. He gazed into the distance, his expression showing a peculiar hint. Where his gaze fell, faint rumbles echoed, and magical energies spread. The sea of fire seemed to be drawn, slowly converging towards that spot, as if refining something. What caught Xu Qing's attention was that in that direction, he sensed his own poison restriction. When he first encountered the human elder, although the elder had been poisoned, the aura wasn't very noticeable, likely due to minimal exposure and the isolating effect of the mirror glove. But now, after so much time, the power of the poison restriction had intensified and could no longer be completely isolated, allowing Xu Qing to sense it.

"It's quite potent now…" Knowing the terrifying nature of his poison restriction, Xu Qing considered that the other party seemed not to have deceived him. "I'll go take a look." Xu Qing's body blurred as he approached that area. He planned to see how the elder was faring before deciding whether to cure his poison.

As he drew closer, Xu Qing's expression grew solemn. Without hesitation, he concealed himself within the lava. He saw Mirror Cloud cultivators, and a considerable number of them—dozens in total. Although many were Golden Core cultivators, there were also eight or nine Nascent Soul cultivators, with cultivation levels ranging from first to third tribulation. What made Xu Qing even more vigilant was seeing a formation here. It was well-known that formations were difficult to set up on the Heavenly Fire Sea due to its unique environment—a source of Xu Qing's previous frustration. Yet, one existed here. And any formation capable of being deployed here would undoubtedly possess considerable power.

The formation itself was also peculiar: an enormous mirror. This mirror, a hundred feet in diameter, floated in the sky, with Mirror Shadow cultivators all around empowering it. The giant mirror faced the lava, reflecting the sea of fire while simultaneously trapping a person within its hundred-foot radius. The trapped individual was none other than the human elder.

At this moment, his entire body was covered in blackish-green marks, with many areas decaying to the bone. His body trembled, enduring the suppression from the sky formation mirror. His physical concealment had also been erased. Though still an elder, he was not gaunt but robust, his expression conveying authority as he gazed at the mirror above. The mirror reflected the sea of fire and his figure. Additionally, the mirror's surface bulged, forming a face that coldly stared down at him.

"Duanmu Zang!" a weathered voice echoed from the mirror. "Normally, you come and go like a shadow, assassinating the prodigies of our race. But now, how have you fallen to such a state? Now, if you kneel and choose allegiance, I can grant you the opportunity to become one of our Mirror Shadow Race, allowing you to shed your lowly human bloodline, and even help you ascend to the Spirit Treasury realm again. Although all beings cannot escape death, at least you'll live more joyfully, without constantly hiding. Consider carefully. If my true form arrives and you're still stubborn, you'll lose the right to choose."

A profound voice echoed in all directions, but the human elder sneered. "Nonsense! My human bloodline is incomparably noble! How can you mongrel races compare?! How long has the Mirror Shadow Race existed? Our human history is as ancient as Wanggu itself. Leaving aside the distant past, during the recent Profound Nether Ancient Emperor era, when Wanggu was unified, your Mirror Shadow Race was nothing but a fart that hadn't even emerged!"

"Stubborn fool!" A cold snort came from within the giant mirror in the sky. The surrounding Mirror Shadow cultivators understood and fully unleashed their cultivation, pouring it into the giant mirror, causing the formation's suppressive power to abruptly intensify. The human elder's body roared, yet he still struggled to hold on.

In his heart, he had long despaired. The source of all his troubles was the poison in his body. He had initially underestimated the terrifying nature of this poison. By the time he truly realized its horror, it was too late. His body, his soul, his very being, were all severely corroded, which also caused his concealment techniques to dissipate, allowing the Mirror Shadow Race to track him. And trapped him here.

"That human brat is no good!" Duanmu Zang cursed in his heart. He admitted he hadn't had good intentions at first, but after realizing Xu Qing was human, he changed his mind. He merely intended to mark him and find an opportunity to seize something, not to kill him. Yet, unexpectedly, he fell victim to such a troublesome and terrifying poison. "The antidote is fake too!"

As Duanmu Zang bitterly smiled to himself, Xu Qing, hidden beneath the distant lava, observed everything. Most of the Mirror Shadow cultivators were empowering the formation, increasing the force of the encirclement, and paid no attention to what was beneath the lava. After all, to them, no other race dared to provoke them in this area, especially with the National Teacher's formation treasure displaying its might; anyone who saw it would naturally steer clear.

Xu Qing weighed the situation. Considering the help the box had provided him during this period, he made a decision. "I'll save him this one time!" The moment this thought surfaced, the poison restriction pills within Xu Qing suddenly dispersed, rising through the lava and spreading in all directions. As he raised his right hand, he took out the fishbone, and his shadow also spread out, eager to act. The next instant, a cold glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes, and he surged out from beneath the lava. All thirteen Nascent Souls erupted simultaneously, and earth-shattering power surged within Xu Qing's body. The pointers on the three sundials within him also trembled, ready to be pulled out at any moment to unleash Temporal Stasis.