Chapter 601: Eldred Dragon Takes Control

The Red Moon Temple in the Moon Sacrifice Region was built predominantly in black, with numerous tall statues of the Scarlet Mother standing inside. This color scheme, under the dim sky, appeared even darker, creating an indescribable sense of oppression.

The wailing wind howled through the mountains, striking the statues of the Scarlet Mother. It caused the two pairs of crescent-shaped earrings hanging from the Scarlet Mother's earlobes to clang against each other, mingling with the Prince's voice.

Xu Qing paid no attention to the Prince's words. At this moment, all his focus was on the Cultivation Path cultivator before him, who was enveloped in endless lightning. His mind was exceptionally calm. His cultivation fully erupted, and his thirteen Three-Tribulation Nascent Souls operated in unison. He transformed into a black bolt of lightning, charging into the lightning pool with unstoppable force. With incredible speed, he instantly approached. His right hand rose, transforming into a ghostly transparency, and shot directly towards the cultivator who had turned into a tree-person.

He grabbed fiercely.

"My rules are irresistible," the tree-person sneered. He did not dodge. His inner secret treasure roared, and his right hand burned with red flames, transformed from Red Moon faith. Furthermore, waves of invisible rule power emanated from his secret treasure, enveloping the surroundings and imbuing the area with his self-imposed laws. At this moment, he raised his right hand and grabbed at Xu Qing's arm.

They made contact in the blink of an eye. While Xu Qing's cultivation and combat power were somewhat inferior, he possessed the power of the Violet Moon, which could, to some extent, neutralize the divine might of the Red Moon. Even so, it was still not enough. Amidst the roar, Xu Qing's body trembled. The power from the tree-person's massive hand was like iron, firmly restricting him.

Furthermore, terrifying fluctuations surged from within the tree-person's body, crushing towards Xu Qing. At the same time, incantations emanated from the tree-person's mouth. The incantations were complex and difficult to understand, yet they contained an eerie feeling. Chilling winds swept through the surroundings, and countless ghostly figures appeared out of thin air, pouncing towards Xu Qing.

At this critical juncture, Xu Qing's decisive and ruthless combat style became apparent. He completely ignored his gripped right hand, and violently pulled his body. With a "crack," his right shoulder joint dislocated directly. This allowed for an unexpected twist of his body. He raised his right foot and swept fiercely towards the tree-person. Simultaneously, his Heavenly Demon Body manifested behind him, numbering in the hundreds. They rapidly appeared in all directions and pounced in unison. The shadow beneath him also spread at this moment. Moreover, the Patriarch of the Vajra Sect flew out from the side, concealing his sharp edge, and thrust from the flank.

Amidst the roar, Xu Qing's expression darkened. His sweeping kick passed directly through the tree-person. The same happened with the Patriarch of the Vajra Sect.

"That's not his true body!"

At the same time, dozens of feet behind Xu Qing, the temple cultivator who had transformed into a tree-person suddenly reappeared. This was his true body.

"Pity, you don't understand Cultivation Path cultivators. There are rules established around you that you don't comprehend." A cold sneer appeared on his lips. He raised his right hand and abruptly pressed it towards Xu Qing, who was in the distance. Instantly, the endless lightning in the surroundings transformed into numerous lightning snakes, surging from all directions towards Xu Qing, giving him no chance to dodge, and instantly engulfing him.

Especially the massive arm that had gripped Xu Qing's right hand also changed its form at this moment, turning into a giant maggot that violently exploded. A thunderous roar erupted. The temple cultivator's true body flickered and rapidly flew forward. With a wave of his right hand, a multitude of branches swirled, forming a colossal battle-axe that charged directly towards Xu Qing.

Xu Qing rapidly retreated, but he still couldn't escape the range of the lightning pool and the maggot's self-detonation. However, Xu Qing's rich combat experience kicked in. At this moment, his entire body abruptly flashed with multicolored light. Simultaneously, he pressed his right hand to the ground, violently twisted his body, and with a "crack," ignoring the intense pain, reset his dislocated joint. Subsequently, the multicolored light erupted, sweeping outwards in unison. After dissipating most of the lightning, his shadow rose up around him, forming a coffin-like barrier that enveloped him.

To avoid the remaining force, as the sound spread, the shadow coffin rolled back and landed dozens of feet away. The moment it landed, the shadow dispersed, and Xu Qing's figure appeared. He didn't hesitate for a moment. The instant he appeared, he looked up at the approaching tree-person cultivator. Silently counting the time in his mind, the power of his five Sundial Life Lamps within him directly erupted.

Time Reversal!

In an instant, the Sundial Life Lamps shone with dazzling light. Time formed a storm within, engulfing Xu Qing's entire body and erasing his figure from its current position. When he reappeared, he was precisely in the position from seven breaths ago. This position was directly behind the temple cultivator!

"Time law? This is impossible!" The temple cultivator froze, his pupils contracting.

This sudden development was the first to exceed his expectations. Although his own combat power surpassed Xu Qing's, from their brief exchange just now, he had already sensed that the opponent had many tactics and possessed rich combat experience. The direct gap between them was not actually very large. The reason he had been suppressed was more because the opponent was somewhat unfamiliar with fighting Cultivation Path cultivators. And the sudden display of such a technique in this process must be a trump card. The temple cultivator's mind reacted instantly. He did not continue to attack, but instead displayed the power of the rules contained within his secret treasure, preparing to leave this place.

But it was still too late.

Xu Qing didn't hesitate in the slightest. The power of stasis from his Sundial Life Lamps suddenly unfolded. All five sundials erupted, forming an ultimate power of solidification, which fell entirely upon the temple cultivator. Freezing his time, solidifying his very being. Simultaneously, he raised his right hand. A dagger appeared in his grip, and he slashed fiercely at the neck of the temple cultivator before him. The moment the familiar sound rang out, to ensure a fatal blow, the power of the Poison Ban rose as well, destroying his vitality. The sundial needles within him also rapidly flew out, transforming into five long rainbows that shot forth, rapidly piercing through the temple cultivator's body. A rumbling sound echoed, and Xu Qing had given his all.

The next moment, the temple cultivator's head flew off. His body, under the impact of the five sundial needles, was utterly destroyed, collapsing violently and shattering into pieces.

Having done all this, Xu Qing breathed heavily. He glanced at the debris on the ground, then looked up at the Prince in mid-air. The Prince's heart was also stirred, but outwardly, he showed no expression, speaking indifferently.

"Thirty breaths remaining."

Hearing this, Xu Qing's eyes narrowed. He sharply looked at the debris on the ground. With a wave of his hand, a burst of flames spread, engulfing and incinerating the ground. Simultaneously, he rapidly retreated. But the moment he retreated, nine crimson vortexes shimmered forth from the place where the shattered temple cultivator had disintegrated, heading directly for Xu Qing. No matter how Xu Qing dodged, it was useless. In the blink of an eye, he was enveloped.

The nine vortexes shimmered as they swirled, and a roaring sound erupted. In an instant, they formed a phantom secret treasure. From a distance, Xu Qing appeared to be inside this secret treasure!

"Secret Refinement into One!"

The temple cultivator's voice emanated from within this phantom secret treasure. A colossal force instantly erupted, transforming into countless rules and laws, forming sun, moon, and stars, ice, fire, and thunder, turning into a cage to refine Xu Qing. The sun and moon stabilized the spirit, ice and fire refined the body, thunder aided the process, and heavenly winds manifested power.

Xu Qing's body and soul trembled violently. In his perception, he was clearly still in his original spot, yet he felt as if he was in another space. That sense of oppression and refinement from all directions seemed to want to crush his very soul and incinerate all his flesh and blood. Furthermore, intense pain surged, every inch of his flesh and blood tearing apart. Xu Qing was expressionless, sensing everything around him.

In mid-air, the Prince watched all this, a deeper meaning in his eyes, and spoke slowly. "What you face now is true Cultivation Path. If you cannot escape, you will face the demise of being suppressed and refined."

As the Prince's words echoed, the intent of refinement surged, and the phantom secret treasure vaguely seemed to transform into the temple cultivator's body.

At this critical moment, a cold glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes.

"So this is a secret treasure without a Heavenly Dao."

"Since there's no Heavenly Dao, how about I give you one!"

"Azure Dragon!"