Chapter 553: You’re So Strong, Why Didn’t You Say So Earlier

At the Nascent Soul realm, the differences between cultivators are astonishing. With a solid foundation built over time, what were once minor discrepancies can be amplified countless times.

Due to variations in the number of Nascent Souls, the number of tribulations experienced, and diverse racial and personal backgrounds, the strength of cultivators often isn't immediately apparent, unlike at the Heavenly Palace realm. Only when the difference between them is vast can their auras reveal their strength. Otherwise, careful assessment is required.

Fundamentally, all races share a basic understanding. The first tribulation transforms a pseudo-Nascent Soul into a true Dao Nascent Soul, granting it the combat power of a Nascent Soul. The second tribulation doubles the power of the Nascent Soul, making it equivalent to two Nascent Souls. A third tribulation triples it!

For example, the Heaven-Faced Race cultivator Xu Qing encountered earlier was a prodigy of his clan. Although he lacked a Life Lantern, he possessed seven Dao Nascent Souls and had undergone two tribulations. Therefore, his base combat power, augmented by the tribulations, could be considered equivalent to fourteen Nascent Souls. This was also why he still attacked after realizing Xu Qing had thirteen Dao Nascent Souls. His past could also be clearly inferred from this: he had seven Heavenly Palaces during the Golden Core stage and four fires during the Foundation Establishment stage. His Dharma Apertures must have numbered 120. He hadn't reached the ultimate 121. After all, throughout his journey, Xu Qing had never encountered anyone who truly achieved 121 Dharma Apertures, except for Sheng Yunzi and Kong Xianglong. Perhaps there were others, but if they hadn't demonstrated it, Xu Qing couldn't determine it.

However, these are merely foundational aspects. While useful for measurement at the Heavenly Palace realm, combat between Nascent Soul cultivators is highly variable. For cultivators of similar strength, the criteria for gauging power include not only their cultivation realm but also their treasures, cultivation techniques, the unique talents of their respective races, and their adaptability in actual combat. Each of these factors is crucial and can determine victory or defeat. Therefore, the raw power of a Nascent Soul cannot be the sole basis for judgment; it merely serves as a simple reference. Often, a battle is necessary to truly ascertain one's strength.

The same applied to Xu Qing. All thirteen of his Dao Nascent Souls had undergone one tribulation, so theoretically, his current base strength was equivalent to thirteen Nascent Souls. However, his Dao Nascent Souls were exceptionally unique. Factors like his Emperor-grade cultivation techniques, divine connections, Heavenly Dao blessings, supreme treasures like the Bottle of Time, the Morning Glow, and the Sundial Life Lantern all contributed. The cumulative effect of these elements, unleashed at the Nascent Soul realm, pushed Xu Qing's combat power beyond normal limits. It made the formidable nature of his current Dao Nascent Souls comparable to those who had undergone two tribulations.

In other words, Xu Qing's current baseline combat power was equivalent to twenty-four Nascent Souls! The reason it wasn't twenty-six was that he still had two Life Lanterns yet to be refined. Once those two remaining lanterns transformed into sundials, he would possess the combat power of twenty-six Nascent Souls. Nevertheless, Xu Qing remained cautious. Just because he could make his Dao Nascent Souls special didn't mean others couldn't, and the same applied to treasures and cultivation techniques. This was precisely what made confrontations between cultivators at the Nascent Soul realm so tricky.

As these thoughts flashed through Xu Qing's mind, his body shot up from the magma. His thirteen Dao Nascent Souls fully erupted, generating terrifying combat power comparable to twenty-four Nascent Souls, and he soared directly into the sky. His speed was incredible; he appeared before a Mirror Shadow Nascent Soul cultivator who had undergone one tribulation in an instant.

The Mirror Shadow cultivator's expression changed. Even with half his focus currently on empowering the formation, his extensive combat experience and quick reflexes allowed him to instantly recall most of his attention, and his six Nascent Souls erupted within him. He also spat out a flying sword, and the mirror fragment between his eyebrows shone, reflecting Xu Qing's approaching figure. His face blurred and strangely became similar to Xu Qing's. This was one of his clan's innate talents, used to empower himself, instantly boosting his combat power to the level of eight Nascent Souls. This talent, combined with his reaction speed, was already quite impressive. If another cultivator who had undergone one tribulation had launched a sneak attack, it would likely have been difficult to achieve a kill. However, if the disparity in absolute power was too great, then many uncontrollable variables would become controllable.

Thus, in the next instant, as Xu Qing swept past, a cold light flashed, and the Mirror Shadow cultivator's head was directly separated from his body. Blood gushed forth, and as a mournful scream echoed, Xu Qing was already far away, rushing towards another Mirror Shadow Nascent Soul. Simultaneously, Xu Qing's poison ban also rose in the surroundings, targeting not the Nascent Soul cultivators, but the Golden Core Heavenly Palace cultivators.

With Xu Qing's increased strength, his poison pill also unleashed a more sinister and terrifying power. As it spread, at least seven Heavenly Palace cultivators cried out in alarm. They didn't even have time to react before their bodies instantly turned purplish-black and began to rot. Screams of terror spread in all directions. Several more Heavenly Palace cultivators trembled, their eyes instantly turned black, and an eerie smile appeared on their lips. They abruptly turned and charged directly towards the giant mirror formation, then suddenly self-detonated upon getting close. Amidst the resounding explosions, a crimson lightning bolt, wrapped around a fish bone, darted through the area, causing astonishing slaughter wherever it went. This scene caused the expressions of the Mirror Shadow cultivators present to change drastically. Chaos erupted almost instantly.

Duanmu Cang, who was battling the giant mirror's oppressive force, was also startled. Noticing the poisoned Mirror Shadow cultivators, his pupils constricted, and he immediately recognized the source. "It's that cunning brat!" He then shouted loudly, "Don't waste time, finish this quickly! Kill the Nascent Souls outside to prevent the formation from being empowered, and I can break free! Hurry! The Mirror Shadow Race's Grand Preceptor is on his way!"

The moment Duanmu Cang spoke, the face on the giant mirror shifted its gaze, about to look at Xu Qing. However, Duanmu Cang laughed loudly, risking his own injuries to erupt his cultivation. Eight Nascent Souls rose from within him, each impressively bearing the power of five tribulations. Even more astonishingly, behind these eight Nascent Souls, the faint illusion of a secret treasure manifested. However, this secret treasure was collapsed and imbued with a withered essence, clearly the result of a failed breakthrough attempt. Despite this, his combat power still surged tremendously with the appearance of the secret treasure's illusion, forcing the face on the giant sky mirror to withdraw its gaze from Xu Qing and suppress him with full force.

As the roaring sounds reverberated, Xu Qing moved even faster. Xu Qing didn't need Duanmu Cang's reminder; the moment he decided to act, he knew this battle had to end quickly without delay. So, with the poison ban erupting, shadows wreaking havoc, and the fish bone dancing, Xu Qing rapidly approached a Mirror Shadow Nascent Soul cultivator. However, the other Mirror Shadow cultivators had also reacted, and amidst their roars, two cultivators with two-tribulation Nascent Souls and one with a three-tribulation Nascent Soul were rushing towards him from all directions.

Seeing them approach, the Morning Glow within Xu Qing's body suddenly shone and swept outwards. The surrounding colors were instantly replaced by a brilliant spectrum of seven hues. In the dazzling light, the approaching figures paused and retreated. Meanwhile, Xu Qing's body turned ghostly, and with a single dash, he directly phased through the Mirror Shadow cultivator in front of him. Two Nascent Souls were seized by him and crushed in his hand. Dozens of Heavenly Demon bodies, ferocious in appearance, surged into the Mirror Shadow cultivator's body. The next moment, an utterly horrifying scream echoed mournfully from the Mirror Shadow cultivator's mouth. As his body trembled and rapidly withered, Xu Qing sharply retreated. Almost the instant he retreated, a massive vortex was blasted into the spot he had just occupied by the three-tribulation Mirror Shadow cultivator who had rushed in.

"Insignificant human, you court death!" The Mirror Shadow cultivator roared, seven Nascent Souls glowing within him—five at the three-tribulation stage and two at the two-tribulation stage—unleashing terrifying combat power close to twenty Nascent Souls. Behind him, a black mirror materialized, providing him with a blessing. Within the mirror, a gigantic bat was bound, and the mirror's surface emitted sound waves towards Xu Qing, shattering the surroundings. He also held a long spear, around which countless wailing resentful spirits swirled, spreading out like wisps of smoke, their aura astonishing.

It wasn't over; there were two three-tribulation Mirror Shadow cultivators in total, and the other was now approaching with a whistle. This individual wore black armor, with seven spectral flames floating above his head. Each flame was a manifestation of his Nascent Soul. The cape behind his armor flapped, forming countless eyes that all opened, glaring furiously at Xu Qing. Moreover, four two-tribulation Mirror Shadow cultivators rushed in from all directions, surrounding Xu Qing.

Duanmu Cang watched this scene with growing solemnity. Although he could easily kill these Mirror Shadow cultivators once freed, he couldn't quite grasp Xu Qing's combat power. "This brat's Nascent Souls are a bit strange!"

At this moment, poisonous mist permeated all directions, and the screams grew more mournful. Six Mirror Shadow Nascent Souls were closing in on Xu Qing from all sides. But just then, an icy glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. He instantly pulled out the pointer from one of the sundials within him, fixing his gaze on the nearest three-tribulation Mirror Shadow cultivator in front of him. In an instant, time on the first sundial within Xu Qing's body ceased. This power of stillness, following his gaze, affected the Mirror Shadow cultivator in the outside world whom he stared at.

The three-tribulation Mirror Shadow cultivator's body paused, his ferocious expression frozen, his body seemingly fixed in place, as if his personal time had been brought to a standstill. Although he returned to normal in just an instant, for cultivators at the Nascent Soul level, an instant could mean life or death. The moment the man's time resumed, Xu Qing's dagger slashed across his neck, blood spurted, and his head flew off. Xu Qing didn't have time to absorb too much. After grabbing and crushing two Nascent Souls, the pointer on his first sundial had to fall, and the sundial's desiccation was far more severe than when he had tested it with the Spirit JL. However, it wasn't irreversible and was currently recovering.

Xu Qing paid no attention. As the other Mirror Shadow cultivators watched in horror, he looked at the second three-tribulation cultivator and pulled out the pointer from his second sundial. A tempest surged in the Mirror Shadow cultivator's mind, his eyes revealing shock and disbelief. The scene he had just witnessed was his companion inexplicably pausing suddenly. There was no resistance, no struggle, as if he had become a puppet, directly slain by that human cultivator. "This is..." Before he could ponder further, Xu Qing's gaze fell upon him. In an instant, the three-tribulation Mirror Shadow cultivator's body trembled, losing all perception and everything else. The moment he recovered, he saw Xu Qing's face. His head flew off, and his Nascent Soul withered. All this happened in two instants.

All the surrounding two-tribulation Mirror Shadows gasped in shock. Their scalps tingled with extreme horror, and they instantly recoiled, preparing to flee. Xu Qing ignored them and headed straight for the giant mirror formation.

"This item is the Mirror Shadow Race's Grand Preceptor's supreme treasure; it's difficult to destroy! But now that no one is empowering it, it'll be easier. Step back a bit, I'm going to self-detonate a Nascent Soul to blast open a gap!" Duanmu Cang suppressed his shock at Xu Qing's actions, let out a low roar, and was about to self-detonate. But Xu Qing raised his right hand and pointed. The crimson lightning bolt, transformed from the Adamantine Sect Patriarch, roared in from a distance. Its speed was immense; it arrived in an instant, driving the fish bone to stab fiercely at the giant mirror. The face on the giant mirror abruptly looked at Xu Qing, and just as it was about to speak ferociously, its expression changed drastically the next instant. Amidst the roar, the fish bone ignored all the mirror's defenses, directly piercing through it with irresistible force, striking the mirror surface. With a crack, the mirror surface shattered.

Xu Qing didn't look at Duanmu Cang, turning instead to wave his hand. The surrounding poison rushed towards him, as did the shadow, and the fish bone transformed into a crimson glow, settling into Xu Qing's hand. Xu Qing unleashed his speed, heading straight for the distance to escape the area. From beginning to end, he hadn't said a single word. He arrived with thunderous might and departed silently.

The giant mirror now trembled violently, its cracks constantly spreading, its face contorted, and its expression rapidly changing. It glared fixedly at the departing Xu Qing. Duanmu Cang, who had been trapped by it, also gasped, then quickly halted his attempt to self-detonate his Nascent Soul. With a surge, he escaped through the opening. Then, with a flick of his arm, the collapsed secret treasure slammed into the giant mirror. More cracks appeared on the mirror, and it fell from the sky, crashing onto the magma. The face within it opened as if to speak, but the severe damage made it impossible for its divine sense to be transmitted. Duanmu Cang snorted coldly and spat a glob of phlegm at it. The phlegm was substantial, hitting the mirror's face and causing the mirror to sink into the magma. Having done this, Duanmu Cang turned and, with a flicker, rapidly departed.

Three hours after their departure, a firestorm erupted in the distant heavens and earth. Within it was a colossal figure, clad in golden robes, with no facial features; its entire face was a golden mirror. He roared in, paused there, and looked down at the magma. His face reflected the surrounding scenes. After a long time, he raised his right hand and grabbed, instantly retrieving the mirror that had sunk beneath the magma. Holding it for a while, a chilling voice emerged from the mirror's face. "Humans..."

Three days later, on the Sea of Heavenly Fire ten thousand miles away, Xu Qing was speeding along. For these three days, he hadn't stopped, constantly drawing closer to the shore while concealing himself. Over these three days, the sky here had grown increasingly bright, and the flames seemed denser than before. The blooming of magma flowers also became more frequent. This caused the temperature in the area to continuously rise, spreading a sensation of burning souls.

"I need to get back to shore quickly. If this continues, even if my body can hold out, my soul will melt." Xu Qing felt the sensation of his hair singeing and noticed signs of wilting in his spirit. As he pondered this, he was about to accelerate, but in the next instant, he spoke calmly. "Senior, there's no need to follow me for so long." After a moment, Xu Qing continued forward.

For these three days, he would do this every hour. Although he could sense the poison ban's aura, Xu Qing understood that treating any perception as a habit could lead to carelessness, and in these chaotic times, a single oversight could result in a tragic end. Thus, even when he didn't sense the poison ban's aura, he still spoke in this manner.

Another day passed like this, and Xu Qing paused, uttering a calm remark. "Senior, do you enjoy staying hidden so much?" This time, there was a reply. "Hmm?"

About ten zhang to Xu Qing's right, a surprised sound was heard. The space there quickly distorted, and Duanmu Cang's body materialized. A bubble enveloped his body, isolating some auras. Furthermore, a strip of cloth was wrapped around his right hand; it was this item that completely blocked the poison ban's aura. Xu Qing's eyes narrowed. He glanced at it, faintly finding it somewhat familiar.

"How did this brat detect me?" Duanmu Cang felt suspicious, recalling Xu Qing's previous actions, and thought it highly likely that the other party still possessed some strange abilities. "Of course, it's also possible that this brat just yells that out every now and then! Cunning!" Duanmu Cang's heart coldly snorted. Noticing Xu Qing's gaze on the cloth strip on his right hand, he didn't explain but instead glared furiously at Xu Qing.

"Brat, you're heartless! I, this old man, had no intention of harming you, and I even gave you a box for concealment! Yet, the antidote you gave me was fake!" Xu Qing frowned. "However, considering you helped me out earlier, I won't hold it against you." Seeing Xu Qing frown, the old man quickly softened his tone, then raised a hand and coughed. "We're all human, so... just relieve me of this."

Xu Qing's expression remained unchanged as he spoke calmly. "Ten thousand spirit stones!" The old man took a breath, stared at Xu Qing, then after a moment, shook his head with a bitter smile and threw out a storage bag—the one Xu Qing had previously given him. Xu Qing took it, counted its contents, and confirmed it was fine. Seeing Xu Qing about to count further, the old man's temper threatened to flare up again, but he suppressed it. "Is that enough?!"

Xu Qing nodded, raised his right hand, and made a grabbing motion towards the old man. Instantly, the old man's body trembled as the poison ban's power surged within him, drilling out of his body as he grimaced in pain. It ultimately transformed into a black mist, heading straight for Xu Qing, integrating into his body, and vanishing. With the disappearance of the poison ban, the old man clearly felt his body lighten, his cultivation power surged, and his body's recovery began normally, becoming somewhat indistinct. He let out a long breath and looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing took a few steps back, extremely wary. The old man's eyes widened. "Brat, seeing how formidable you were before, why didn't you act during those first two times? Why did I have to appear to help you?"

"I didn't have time," Xu Qing said calmly, stating the truth. The old man fell silent upon hearing this. He thought the kid was truly terrible at speaking, then turned to leave. But after only a few steps, he looked back at Xu Qing. "The Heavenly Fire is coming soon. You should find a place to take shelter." The old man waved his hand and tossed Xu Qing an umbrella. "This umbrella can resist for some time, but not for too long. Take care of yourself." With that, his body flickered, about to merge into the void.

Xu Qing grabbed the umbrella. After inspecting it, he felt the old man's goodwill, so he thought for a moment and called out to the vanishing old man. "Wait a moment." The old man's body paused, and he looked at Xu Qing in surprise. Xu Qing raised his hand and extracted the last wisp of poisonous mist from the old man's body. This was left by Xu Qing to prevent the old man from suddenly acting earlier. As the poisonous mist appeared, the old man's expression changed again. He glared at Xu Qing, took a few ragged breaths, and finally laughed in exasperation. "Unsportsmanlike!"

Xu Qing remained expressionless. His experiences from childhood taught him the necessity of caution, especially in this unfamiliar great domain. From start to finish, he harbored no intention of harming others. The old man glanced at Xu Qing, then finally nodded. "Alright, your vigilance is understandable." After speaking, he thought for a moment, then took out a jade slip and tossed it to Xu Qing. "If you really can't find a place to avoid the fire, come here." The old man turned, flickered, and vanished from the world.

Xu Qing took the jade slip, glanced at it, and put it away. He knew what the Heavenly Fire was: a unique climatic phenomenon of the Moon Sacrificial Domain. During this time, the sky throughout the entire Moon Sacrificial Domain would become bright. "It must be related to this Sea of Heavenly Fire." Xu Qing hadn't known the specifics before, but now he had a conjecture. Recalling the intense heat on the sea these past few days, he became thoughtful and accelerated his departure.

Several days later, Xu Qing returned to the shore, not to his previous secluded cultivation spot. He didn't want to go to the same place twice. Standing on the shore, he looked at the sky. Compared to two months prior, the sky's firelight was now more intense, and the churning of the Sea of Heavenly Fire's magma grew increasingly violent. Standing here, the roaring from the Sea of Heavenly Fire was like rolling thunder. The figures of cultivators were also far fewer than usual. Even the ground was shaking, as if some colossal entity was about to rise from within the Sea of Heavenly Fire. This reminded Xu Qing of the first time he saw the Mirror Shadow border guards hiding underground. "Is this a way to avoid the Heavenly Fire?"

Xu Qing pondered this, then moved away to find a spot. He dug a large hole in the ground, entered it, cast a spell to cover it, and concealed himself underground. Once hidden, he sat cross-legged and began to recover his body. Although he possessed a divine body, the Sea of Heavenly Fire was mysterious and unfathomable. The high temperature beneath the magma felt terrifying to Xu Qing, and he could only descend about one zhang. Xu Qing dared not go deeper. This fire scorched the soul, and even with the absorption of the purple crystal, he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't be harmed.

Day by day, time passed. Deep underground, Xu Qing recovered his body, studied his sundial life lantern, and occasionally chatted with Ling'er. He wasn't lonely. Seven days later, when his body had fully recovered to its peak, Xu Qing sensed changes in the outside world. The temperature had steadily climbed over these seven days. Even deep underground, the surrounding earth had begun to turn crimson.

Then, a roar echoed from the sky, spreading like thunder. Through his divine sense, Xu Qing perceived a scene that sent tremendous waves through his mind. The Sea of Heavenly Fire erupted like a tsunami. Amidst the violent churning, the magma churned up colossal waves that spread towards the shore. Simultaneously, a pair of enormous, severed hands, a hundred thousand zhang long, rose into the sky from the vast Sea of Heavenly Fire. These severed hands had massive tumors at the ends of their arms, from which countless tentacles extended. On their palms, which were like sky curtains, the palm lines were clearly visible. They rose into mid-air, slowly forming hand seals. Magma surged upward, and phenomena resembling dragons drawing water appeared on the magma sea. Vast quantities of magma were drawn into the sky, spreading out and rapidly covering the horizons in all eight directions.

The sky became incredibly bright. Endless flames descended from the sky, scorching the very earth. This explained why the area consisted of barren, irregular low mountains and why there was no vegetation. Its vast scope encompassed the Two-Race Alliance, continuously spreading from east to west until it enveloped the entire Moon Sacrificial Domain.

"The Heavenly Fire passes..." Xu Qing gazed at the scene and murmured.