Chapter 621: Xu Qing's Authority

“Speaking of which…” The captain’s expression showed a hint of smugness. Instinctively, he took out a peach and was about to eat it when he noticed the heir looking at him. So he blinked, then took out a pear and handed it to the heir.

“Elder, how about some?”

The heir remained expressionless.

The captain chuckled awkwardly, put the pear away, and cleared his throat.

“Speaking of which, of course, the old man came to find me. Back then, I was wearing open-crotch pants, playing in the mud with the little girls from next door. Then the old man appeared, disturbed my fun, felt my bones, said I was destined for him, and so he abducted me.”

“As for little Ah Qing, he proactively sought out his master. Unlike me.”

The heir glanced at the captain, understanding that this fellow had proactively sought out his master, shamelessly persisting until he was accepted. He was about to speak.

But just then, the heir felt something and looked up towards Xu Qing’s distant location.

The captain quickly noticed as well and looked in the same direction.

In the dim world, amidst the turquoise dust, Xu Qing stood silently, gazing at the Heaven’s Mandate Flower before him.

He knew this flower had been left by his Eldest Senior Brother.

He also understood that the person who could know his past must be his Master, so the appearance of this Heaven’s Mandate Flower was not sudden.

His Master had already foreseen everything.

Xu Qing carefully raised his hand, slowly picked up the iron box, and looking at the flower inside, he uncontrollably thought of the old man from the scavenger camp once more.

“Captain Lei, I’ve finally found the Heaven’s Mandate Flower…” Xu Qing murmured, closing his eyes.

As the bloody face behind him disintegrated, and as endless bloody energy surged into his body through every pore, at that moment, he vaguely heard the reluctant sigh of the divine nature.

His humanity, too, continuously returned as tears streamed down his face.

This flower was like an anchor.

It gave a stable source to all his confusion, a steady mark to all his daze, and moreover, his humanity now had a concrete form, becoming as unbreakable as bedrock.

Everything in his memory became important again. Childhood scenes, images from the Seven Blood Eyes sect, and experiences in Feng Hai County all resurfaced, becoming even more profound.

He confirmed his name and recognized the people and things he could not abandon.

His divine nature was receding, and his beastly nature was being suppressed.

For a very long time.

Xu Qing opened his eyes, sorrow evident within them; he had fully awakened.

Confusion vanished. Hunger ceased.

The moment he awakened, he felt a difference in his body; immense physical power flowed within him, radiating a terrifying aura and formidable fluctuations.

This divine body, which he previously found difficult to fully control, now reached an unprecedented level of alignment.

From this moment on, this body no longer belonged to the divine finger.

The resulting increase in combat power would be even more terrifying.

Next, Xu Qing sensed the divine treasure formed by the power of the purple moon, and also the traces of the divine nature that had once dominated his consciousness.

It was a golden rune, imprinted deep within the core of his life.

It could be activated again at any time.

Compared to all these, Xu Qing’s experience this time was the most valuable aspect.

He had felt the loss of humanity, experienced the madness of beastly nature, and understood the indifference of divine nature.

Ultimately, he found his own anchor.

It restrained the wild beastly nature, concealed the indifferent divine nature, and allowed humanity to return and become dominant.

“This process is called ‘touching the divine’.” The heir’s voice came from behind, reaching Xu Qing’s ears.

Xu Qing remained silent.

“Little Ah Qing, after this experience, did you sense any authority?” The captain’s voice, full of curiosity, echoed around.

Xu Qing turned his head and looked behind him.

He saw the heir and the captain.

“Eldest Senior Brother, Senior.” Xu Qing’s voice was hoarse, his gaze falling upon the captain’s arm, which had lost a significant amount of flesh.

The place where he had been bitten seemed unusual; even with the captain’s regenerative abilities, it hadn’t fully healed yet.

Noticing Xu Qing’s gaze, the captain instinctively placed his left hand behind his back, smiling nonchalantly, urging and anticipating.

The heir wanted to shake his head; he didn’t believe one could grasp authority on the first “touch of the divine,” as it usually required multiple attempts. But recalling Xu Qing’s extraordinary comprehension, he restrained himself from shaking his head.

“This kid’s comprehension is too monstrous; it’s better to observe for now.”

Xu Qing glanced at the heir, then gazed into his Eldest Senior Brother’s eyes, a ripple stirring in his heart. He then recalled his instincts from when he was previously in a state of chaotic madness.

However, at that time, he was unconscious, so this recollection required time to carefully process.

Two incense sticks’ time passed, and Xu Qing frowned.

He remembered that besides hunger, he had also felt a stronger craving for blood, but this was somewhat different from the divine authority he had envisioned.

The captain saw Xu Qing’s expression, cleared his throat, and his face showed a hint of pride.

“Although the chances of sensing authority on the first ‘touch of the divine’ are minuscule, little Ah Qing, your Eldest Senior Brother is a little disappointed in you. But don’t be disheartened, you’re still young. Work hard, and I believe you’ll succeed just like me on your second try.”

The heir’s gaze fell on Xu Qing. He wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or sighed inwardly as he slowly spoke.

“Let’s go, it’s time to head back.”

As he spoke, the heir walked forward, about to lead Xu Qing and the captain away from the area.

But just then, Xu Qing hesitated.

“I think I sensed it, but I’m not sure.” Saying this, Xu Qing followed an internal sensation, raised his right hand, and gently waved it forward. Instantly, droplets of blood seeped from every pore on his body, rapidly leaving him. Each drop of blood seemed to possess a will, manifesting Xu Qing’s face.

They converged, swirling around Xu Qing, gradually forming a crimson vortex.

At this sight, the captain’s eyes widened, and the heir paused his steps.

Rumbling sounds resonated as the crimson vortex grew larger and larger, until it transformed into a lake of blood, enveloping the surroundings. Simultaneously, a colossal face emerged within this bloody lake.

It was Xu Qing’s face.

It remained indifferent, but unlike before, it was controllable.

“I don’t know if this is authority. The trace of origin I plundered back then contained… blood.” Xu Qing looked at the captain, then at the heir, and spoke softly.

The heir’s heart stirred, and the captain was moved. He could feel that with the appearance of the crimson vortex, especially the moment the face emerged, the blood within his own body showed signs of becoming uncontrollable.

It was as if, if Xu Qing wished, the blood in his body could instantly burst forth and be controlled by the other party.

Indeed, it was true. In Xu Qing’s perception at that moment, countless blood fluctuations existed within this desert.

And if he willed it, he could reclaim all the blood within his range.

“It’s not just control…” Xu Qing murmured, closing his eyes. The next instant, the crimson vortex around him roared, engulfing him as it ascended, transforming into a surging sea of blood. Within it, a divine treasure faintly appeared.

A terrifying pressure instantly descended upon the land, and this sea of blood, continuously surging, began to fall towards the ground.

With a roar, the turquoise desert here turned crimson. Countless streams of blood surged into the ground, spreading in all directions: one li, ten li, a hundred li… until finally, its coverage astonishingly reached five hundred li.

Within this five-hundred-li radius, the desert became scarlet, and all ferocious beasts within it howled upon contact with the blood, their bodies instantly disintegrating and becoming part of the blood.

Several colossal mushrooms, comparable to those of the Nourishing Dao realm, also trembled and disintegrated. One of them had its roots rise to form a giant’s silhouette, attempting to flee, but it was engulfed by the erupting sea of blood from the ground, becoming a part of it.

The feeling of hunger resurfaced in Xu Qing’s heart, along with a desire to devour blood on a larger scale and spread it over a wider area.

However, the restraint and control of his humanity made him understand that this was his current limit. If he continued, with his current abilities, he would lose control again.

Thus, in the next instant, all the blood rapidly returned, reforming Xu Qing’s figure before the heir and the captain.

This figure was initially blurry, then quickly became distinct, as countless streams of blood rose from the ground, continuously converging.

His previously grayish hair, which gradually appeared, turned black, and his body was restored to its original state.

The heir raised his right hand, and with a gentle grasp, a drop of blood immediately flew from the bloody sea around Xu Qing and landed in his hand.

Xu Qing’s face emerged within this drop of blood, gazing indifferently at the heir.

The heir’s eyes narrowed. He could tell that this drop of blood indeed contained more than just the simple power of the Crimson Mother’s authority.

Authority is a unique power belonging to each deity, distinct and possessing singularity.

“This is the Red Moon’s origin?!” The heir’s heart immediately churned. He knew very well that under the Crimson Mother’s deliberate guidance, people conflated the Red Moon with the Crimson Mother. But in reality, the Red Moon came first, the Crimson Mother second.

The Red Moon had existed for too long, since the very birth of Wanggu.

The Crimson Mother, however, became a deity later, when the Remnant Face arrived.

The reason the Crimson Mother resided within the Red Moon was her continuous plunder and occupation of it, aiming to become the Red Moon itself. This was the Crimson Mother’s path to deification.

Authorities were all obtained during this process.

Plundering the Crimson Mother’s authority was akin to acquiring the power of her insights, like consuming what others have digested. But Xu Qing was not like that.

Without comparing their strengths, to some extent, one could say that from the moment he comprehended blood, he and the Crimson Mother were walking the same path!

Their goal, whether actively or passively, was the Red Moon.

These thoughts deeply shook the heir, but he instinctively maintained his composure and spoke calmly.

“Not bad, consistent with my judgment.”

“A single drop of blood can reshape body and soul.”

“A single drop of blood can foster comprehension.”

“Xu Qing, when you turn all blood purple, you will grasp more authority related to blood, and perhaps one day… the red moon in the sky will also turn purple for you.”

“For now, your cultivation can conclude. Go back and rest. In seven days… I will take you to a place to meet someone.”

The heir’s expression was calm, his words profound and enigmatic, as if everything was within his expectations.

Having finished speaking, he walked forward, and with a wave of his hand, released his fingers. The drop of blood returned, landing on the center of Xu Qing’s forehead, which had regained its form, and merged into it.

Xu Qing opened his eyes and looked at the captain.

The captain managed a strained smile. He felt immense pressure; the feeling Xu Qing gave him at that moment far exceeded anything before.

“To think he actually grasped an authority on his first ‘touch of the divine’! I was just speaking casually earlier, and this authority…” The captain took a breath, thinking to himself, *No, I must continue to unlock my seals*. Though he thought this inwardly, he could only maintain a facade of confidence verbally.

“Not bad, not bad, just like me back in the day, haha…” With that, the captain quickened his pace, catching up to the heir.

Xu Qing nodded and walked forward, following their steps.

The turquoise dust, as always, whistled past.

The dim sky, illuminated by the red at the horizon, grew a little brighter than before. It shone on Xu Qing and the two others, casting blurred shadows on the ground. They walked further and further away.