Chapter 577: Sacrifice of the Moon Will Stir the Wind, Sparks Threaten to Ignite the Plains

Deities dream, offering dances as sacrifice; paper-cutting living beings, coloring all creation.

Those who excel delight the deities, receiving eternal blessings; the wicked displease the spirits, and a single thought brings their annihilation.

This is the Sacrificial Dance.

At this moment, as the old man within Twin Peaks perished from the backlash, everything created by this failed Sacrificial Dance—all the "Dance Butterflies"—dissipated along with him.

After devouring his flesh and blood, these Dance Butterflies merged into the world, leaving no trace, allowing all living beings and creation to regain clarity.

However, for the beings of the Weiyang Mountain Range, awakening... might not be a blessing.

A life not arranged might bring more confusion.

As far as the eye could see, starting from the cities at the foot of the mountains, this confusion swept like a storm, engulfing them.

Within the cities, both mortals and cultivators fell silent the moment they awakened.

Couples, friends, relatives, and masters and disciples looked at each other, their expressions complicated rather than bewildered. They were both strangers and familiar to each other.

They were strangers because they had never known each other before being assigned roles that brought them together, yet familiar because those memories had not disappeared. But they were bewildered about where to go or what to do after awakening.

Cities were like this, sects were like this, and families even more so. The storm swept across the entire Weiyang Mountain Range, engulfing everything.

Some chose to leave, never to return to this place that filled them with terror and absurdity.

Most of these were outsiders.

But in reality, the vast majority of beings in the Weiyang Mountain Range were born here, their destinies altered in infancy.

Tracing back further, their ancestors, too, had been this way.

They were accustomed to their lives being arranged, accustomed to everything following a pre-determined path; this habit had even become instinct, because before awakening, they had no knowledge of the truth.

In their perception, the world had not changed, and life was normal.

Just like being confined in a cage, when one day the cage was opened, they... would still choose to remain inside.

Furthermore, in their hearts, to reinforce their thoughts, they would generate doubts, questioning whether this so-called awakening was a hoax.

Thereby proving that they had been conscious all along.

This was both a blessing and a sorrow.

Xu Qing was silent.

At this moment, using the blue ice coffin where the Captain's previous incarnation resided, and the power of the scepter within it, his divine sense covered the entire Weiyang Mountain Range.

This allowed him to clearly perceive the thoughts of all beings.

In the end, Xu Qing and the Captain chose to leave.

Before leaving, the Captain also felt all this and sighed.

"These beings who have been here since birth, whose ancestors have lived here for generations—even if they awaken, it's no different from being in the dream."

"They will continue to live here, just as before, unchanged."

"Little A Qing, let's go... Perhaps for them, our appearance is a disturbance."

The Captain shook his head and put away his ice coffin. He walked towards the sky, then paused after a few steps and turned to look at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing took a deep breath, withdrew his perception, and walked towards the Captain.

The two silently departed through the sky, until their steps halted outside the Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers.

Wu Jianwu was there.

At this moment, the Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers was a shadow of its former self, with more than half of its structures gone. Mountain peaks had collapsed, the spiritual pool was muddied with dust, and more than half of the sect's disciples had left after awakening.

Only those cultivators who were born here sat silently on the scattered rocks, their thoughts in disarray.

Wu Jianwu's figure stood dazedly at the foot of the mountain, watching Yunxia Zi slowly walk away.

The sunset sky carried a sense of ending, imparting a feeling of oppression, much like the state of his heart and Yunxia Zi's complexity at this moment.

Wu Jianwu stared blankly at Yunxia Zi's retreating figure, an inexpressible feeling in his heart.

After sensing the dramatic changes occurring here, he immediately rushed back. He saw the collapsed mountains, the surrounding chaos, and Yunxia Zi.

He had once recited poetry, but she seemed unable to understand him. From beginning to end, she did not spare him a glance.

This filled Wu Jianwu with bitterness. Staring at her retreating back, he suddenly spoke loudly.

"Dark sky, strong winds blow the mist; bright day, light rain, I have an umbrella!"

Wu Jianwu's voice echoed through the air, reaching Yunxia Zi's ears, but her steps did not falter, nor did she look back. She eventually vanished from sight.

Dispirited, Wu Jianwu took a few steps back and sat down.

Xu Qing and the Captain quietly approached. Seeing Wu Jianwu's downcast expression, Xu Qing raised a hand and gave him a flask of wine, sensing that at this moment, Wu Jianwu probably wanted a drink.

Wu Jianwu tremblingly took it. After taking a large gulp, his eyes reddened slightly, and he murmured.

"She didn't understand at all. It was all fake!"

The Captain sighed, patted Wu Jianwu's shoulder, and said nothing more.

After a moment, as Wu Jianwu's emotions recovered slightly, the group departed from the place, but Wu Jianwu remained silent throughout the journey.

Along the way, the Captain found Ning Yan hiding in a crevice and picked him up.

Ning Yan was terrified; the earlier scene had made him feel incredibly unsafe. So, upon seeing Xu Qing and the others, he was excited. He then glared at Wu Jianwu, about to speak, but noticed Wu Jianwu's mood was off.

Ning Yan was surprised and curious; he wanted to ask, but knew it wasn't the right time, so he suppressed his curiosity.

Thus, the group left the Weiyang Mountain Range. As the Captain took out his artificial sun, their figures flickered inside it and vanished into the horizon.

Time flowed, and soon seven days passed.

What happened in the Weiyang Mountain Range gradually spread from the mouths of those who left. At the same time, the demise of the Sacrificial Dance also caught the attention of the entire Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers.

During these seven days, many powerhouses of the Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers, upon hearing of the matter, used their disciples to teleport and investigate.

Finally, a bounty notice from the Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers spread throughout the entire Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory.

It targeted the blasphemers led by Weiyang Zi and Tianqing Zi.

If anyone provided clues, they would gain the friendship of the Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers. If anyone brought their heads and souls, the main sect of Yin-Yang Flowers would bestow a "Difficulty-Solving Pill" as a reward.

As soon as this bounty was released, the entire Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory was shaken. On one hand, the matter was significant; on the other, it was the Difficulty-Solving Pill.

The pill had only one purpose: to alleviate the pain caused by curses.

For the cultivators of the Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory, the Red Moon Curse within them would gradually bring extreme pain to their bodies and souls as their cultivation grew and time passed.

The torment caused by this pain was something no cultivator wished to endure, and the only thing that could alleviate it was the Difficulty-Solving Pill.

However, this pill was extremely rare, while many beings needed it, making it exceptionally valuable; it could not be bought with spirit stones, and any single pill was often a rare commodity.

For example, the ancestor of the Two-Clan Alliance back then intended to capture Xu Qing alive and send him to the temple in exchange for a Difficulty-Solving Pill.

One can imagine how great the temptation of this bounty was.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing, the Captain, and others who were being hunted had already left the Weiyang Mountain Range far behind and were now in the western regions.

Here, the Captain planned to lie low while also preparing for another matter.

Xu Qing did not intend to follow; he had his own matters to attend to.

He always remembered that in Firefly City, on Duanmu Zang's side, there were over a hundred thousand cursed humans, and he wanted to help them resolve the curse.

However, to unravel this curse, he needed to conduct extensive research and experiments, which required a relatively stable environment and a certain amount of time.

Given the Captain's erratic personality, being with him was clearly unsuitable.

At the same time, there was a place Xu Qing also planned to visit.

So Xu Qing informed the Captain of this idea.

"Researching curses?" The Captain's eyes lit up upon hearing this. After taking a bite from a peach he took out, the light in his eyes grew even brighter.

"Haha, Little A Qing, this idea of yours was originally the eighth major undertaking I had planned. If you can gain some insights in advance, we can save a lot of time on subsequent matters."

"Alright then!" The Captain's face showed resolve. He handed Xu Qing an apple, put an arm around his neck, and whispered.

"Little A Qing, if you go out on your own, remember to be careful not to be found by the Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers. As for me, I'm going to do a small task first, which will probably take more than half a year."

"How small?" Xu Qing glanced at the Captain.

"Haha, a very, very small matter." The Captain raised his hand, touched his thumb and forefinger together, then separated them slightly, using this gesture to illustrate the task.

"Then take care." Xu Qing smiled, not asking further.

The Captain chuckled, then looked up at the distant horizon.

"Alright, let's part ways here. How about we meet in the Bitter Growth Mountain Range in half a year? I'm telling you, Little A Qing, don't be late this time—it's best if you can arrive early. In half a year, your Senior Brother will take you to join a truly awesome organization!"

"That place is a crucial step in our fight against the Red Moon!"

A strange light appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. He had first heard the name "Bitter Growth Mountain Range" from Duanmu Zang, who informed him that there was a way to join the Reverse Moon Palace there.

As for the specifics, Xu Qing didn't know, and the Bitter Growth Mountain Range was already among the places he planned to visit.

Because Duanmu Zang had said the Reverse Moon Palace had profound research on curses, obtaining relevant information from them would save him a lot of research time.

Furthermore, by analogy, it could also provide him with many ideas.

So Xu Qing nodded. After agreeing on some meeting details with the Captain, he stood up, ready to depart.

Before leaving, the Captain took some seeds from Wu Jianwu and handed them to Xu Qing.

"Little Junior Brother, if you arrive at the Bitter Growth Mountain Range early, plant these seeds there. That way, if I have something urgent and need to find you, I'll have Great Sword arrange for one of its offspring to track you by the scent of these seeds. I'll also be able to find you through this after I finish my business."

Xu Qing took the seeds, feeling a little strange inside. He knew about the unique nature of Wu Jianwu's offspring and couldn't help but recall the wish box from back then, so he looked at Wu Jianwu.

Wu Jianwu still looked dispirited, lying there listlessly, sighing occasionally.

"Don't mind him. It's just a heartbreak, normal. He'll be fine in a few days."

The Captain said with a smile. After speaking, he took a deep breath, looked at Xu Qing, his eyes filled with blessings.

"So, Little Junior Brother, let's each follow our own destiny and take care of ourselves!"

Xu Qing nodded upon hearing this.

Ning Yan, standing nearby, perked up his ears, eavesdropping on their conversation. When he heard the words "heartbreak," he finally understood why Wu Jianwu had been like this for days. Disdain rose in his heart, and he muttered, "Is that all?"

Seeing Xu Qing about to leave, he quickly stood up to see him off. His eyes revealed a longing; he hoped Xu Qing would take him along...

Xu Qing paid no attention. With a single step, he left the artificial sun and, with a flicker in the sky, instantly vanished.

"He's grown up and doesn't want to play with his Senior Brother anymore." The Captain watched Xu Qing disappear into the distance, sighing with emotion. Then he raised his hand to form a hand seal, and the artificial sun roared, accelerating forward.

Time flowed, and soon half a month passed.

The bounty from the Yin-Yang Sect of Flowers was still active, but no clues about the wanted individuals were found; they had vanished as if into thin air. At the same time, the spread of another major event caused this bounty to be instinctively overlooked by people.

This major event was truly too shocking, causing a sensation throughout the entire Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory.

The Divine Son was severely wounded!

The cause of this incident was initially well-hidden, unknown to anyone outside the Red Moon Temple headquarters. People only knew that dramatic changes had occurred in the Northern Ice Plains, that anomalies had appeared over the Skyfire Sea, and that there had been continuous world fluctuations for over a month.

Although there were many speculations, there was no real information.

It wasn't until several months had passed that the true situation of this matter finally spread, and it was not the Red Moon Temple that disseminated the news, but members of the Reverse Moon Palace distributing it in various places.

They informed the world that the anomalies over the Skyfire Sea were caused by the Master's Heir breaking free.

And the dramatic changes in the Northern Ice Plains were due to the Heir rescuing Princess Mingmei, the Master's daughter from back then.

Immediately after breaking free, these two astonishing beings attacked the Red Moon Temple headquarters.

Where a world-shattering battle ensued.

This was why the world fluctuations lasted for a month.

As for the outcome of this great battle, the Heir and Princess Mingmei disappeared, and the Divine Son of the Red Moon Temple was severely wounded.

This matter revealed a crucial point: the Red Moon Crimson Mother had not descended.

This was illogical, because if the Divine Son was severely wounded, he would surely perform the Divine Descent Art, but judging from the world fluctuations during this period, this had not happened!

Thus, two more rumors spread along with this matter.

The first rumor concerned the true identity of the Red Moon Divine Son, and that the divine souls he had collected over the years from his suppressed siblings were seized during that great battle.

These divine souls were the reason the Master's sealed offspring had lost their sanity.

It is said that the moment they were taken, countless wails, unlike human voices, erupted from within the Red Moon Temple.

This incident caused a sensation; some analyzed the Heir's plan, believing it was far from merely a decisive battle with the Divine Son as it appeared, but had a deeper meaning.

Perhaps these divine souls were just one of his objectives.

As for the specifics, no one knew.

And the second rumor stirred the hearts of all beings even more.

"The Red Moon Crimson Mother has fallen into a deep slumber due to matters in an outer domain and cannot awaken in the short term!"

The information contained within this rumor was too shocking, and the sky of the Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory seemed to change.

Some believed, some disbelieved, but regardless... the entire Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory began to experience turmoil because of this series of events.

Like ripples appearing in stagnant water.

For a time, in every commandery and state, several civilian organizations emerged, like sparks.

They advocated the slogan of "Reverse Moon," calling on people to rise up and resist, attempting to start a prairie fire.

However, the Red Moon Temple and all forces allied with it, as well as numerous divine envoys, servants, and slaves, quickly mobilized en masse to suppress them.

Moreover, a Temple Emperor of the Red Moon Temple awakened from slumber after the Divine Son's severe injury to preside over the overall situation.

His style was ruthless, unleashing a storm of bloodshed across the Grand Territory.

But ultimately... the winds of Sacrifice Moon had begun to blow.

At this moment, in Qingsha Commandery in the western part of the Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory, azure dust storms swept across the land, seeming to connect with the sky and obscure vision.

Qingsha Commandery was one of the seven western commanderies of the Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory, located near its center.

The origin of this place's name was because the entire commandery consisted entirely of desert.

Moreover, the desert here was very special; its sands were not yellow, but azure.

Therefore, the prevailing winds were also azure sandstorms that never dispersed throughout the year.

People living here also had to adapt to the climate, residing and multiplying amidst the endless azure dust.

There were also many legends about the azure dust storms here, one of which was the most widely accepted.

Legend has it that this place was not a desert long ago, but a vast basin with countless towering peaks.

At that time, the earth was black, and mist would rise from the ground, forming a sea of fog.

Until one day, an azure strand of hair fell from the sky. This strand drifted here, turning into dust, filling the basin, and forming azure sand.

And thus, this place became a desert.

The towering peaks of that time were also largely submerged as a result; their exposed parts connected, forming mountains of various sizes.

The largest of these mountain ranges was called Bitter Growth.

And this desert was also known as the Azure Silk Desert.

Due to the harsh climate, there were not many native residents in the Azure Silk Desert, but due to some special reasons, there were many outsiders here.

Thus, as time passed, one earthen city after another gradually formed here.

These cities were built within the mountains, not on the sand, and the Red Moon Temple had also specifically established an outpost here.

At this moment, amidst the azure dust storm, the world was hazy. Within this blur, a figure was moving forward.

The wind was strong, emitting a wailing howl, feeling like countless hands pushing against one's front, impeding forward momentum and making robes flap and constantly sway.

But it could not stop the figure in the dust storm. His speed seemed not fast, yet each step covered several zhang. He only occasionally paused to take out a jade slip and discern his direction.

"Still some distance to go."

Xu Qing murmured. His face was wrapped in a scarf, and his hair likewise; only his eyes were exposed, gazing into the distance.

After parting ways with the Captain, he pondered his next itinerary and simply set his destination directly to the Bitter Growth Mountain Range.

He intended to both find a way to join the Reverse Moon Palace here and settle down somewhere to research curses.

Today was his third day entering the Azure Silk Desert.

His Taoist robe had been replaced by local attire: a close-fitting top, loose-fitting trousers, knee-high boots made of animal hide, and a wide gray outer robe that covered his entire body, also protecting Ling'er well.

The wind here also had a penetrating force for cultivators; resisting it with cultivation would be fine for a short time, but over a prolonged period, one would surely become exhausted.

Because the spiritual energy of the entire desert was fragmented and very thin within the dust storm.

At the same time, the wind here also carried a sense of desolation; if one was exposed to it for too long, their vitality would gradually dim until death qi coiled around them, turning them into a skeleton.

Only some special creatures could thrive and adapt to the environment here.

For instance, as Xu Qing was checking his direction just now, an azure scorpion more than half the length of a human suddenly burst out from the sand behind him.

Its speed was astonishing, reaching Xu Qing in an instant. Its scorpion tail gleamed with a cold light, about to strike, but the shadow beneath Xu Qing's feet instantly rose, directly engulfing the scorpion.

The scorpion disappeared, and Little Shadow swiftly returned.

From beginning to end, Xu Qing didn't even glance at it. Since entering here, he had encountered many similar fierce beasts, each containing a curse within them, which greatly pleased Xu Qing.

So he had long instructed his shadow to capture them alive within itself, saving them for later research.

Having confirmed his direction, Xu Qing put away his map jade slip and continued forward.

The information the Captain had given him about the Sacrifice Moon Grand Territory was only partial. This time, upon arriving, Xu Qing had also spent some effort and cost to purchase more information about Qingsha Commandery.

Therefore, he was already very clear about the legends of this place and the direction of the Bitter Growth Mountain Range.

As he continued, another seven days passed. As he delved deeper, Xu Qing saw some strange things amidst the azure dust storm.

They were giant mushrooms, over ten zhang tall.

These mushrooms stood like tall houses in the desert, their vibrant colors instinctively evoking a sense of longing in one's heart when seen from afar.

Xu Qing did not approach. After sweeping his gaze over them, he chose to avoid them.

He was unwilling to interact with such unnecessary trouble. Besides the giant mushrooms, illusions occasionally appeared in the desert.

These were formed by the dust storms, taking the shape of men and women, moving forward, laughing and frolicking through the world.

Their voices possessed soul-capturing power; wherever they passed, a long trail would appear in the desert.

As if long worms existed beneath the desert, moving along with them.

Besides this, there were also columns occasionally appearing in Xu Qing's sight.

These columns were adorned with weathered skeletons, seeming to warn of something.

Xu Qing gazed at these, then continued forward, until several days later, in this desert, he saw a group of giant beasts with bells tied to them.

These giant beasts resembled rhinoceroses; as they walked, the sound of bells echoed in all directions. Upon them sat some tall, slender alien beings, their entire bodies tightly wrapped, with only their white eyes exposed, observing everything around them.

After encountering Xu Qing, the giant beasts paused, and the alien beings atop them became alert.

Xu Qing cupped his fists and chose to retreat. After some thought, they also nodded to Xu Qing, and each went their way, not provoking each other.

Thus, time flowed, and soon a month passed.

The Bitter Growth Mountain Range was distantly visible.

Beneath the dim sky, the world was hazy. The Bitter Growth Mountain Range resembled a sword-dragon lying in the desert, its undulating peaks stretching from west to east, spanning over eight thousand li.