Chapter 627: Morning Glow and Mystical Laws, The Great Event of Two Bulls

The Ku Sheng Mountain Range.

As the blood-red light spread across the sky, announcing the imminent return of the Crimson Moon, the malevolent thoughts within all beings erupted uncontrollably. Chaos reigned everywhere, and the slaughter was incessant.

Yet, on the foothills bordering the Ku Sheng Range, there was a small earthen town that remained warm and peaceful, as it always had been.

People smiled at each other, devoid of any hostility, filled with kindness and camaraderie.

Half of the town's residents were disciples of Li Youfei, who chose to stay willingly, drawn by the Young Lord's profound compassion. The other half were cultivators who had arrived from the outside world during this tumultuous period.

These newcomers had been filled with madness before entering the town, but upon experiencing its warmth, they shed their malevolent thoughts and embraced goodness.

This heartwarming tranquility was reminiscent of the atmosphere that once permeated this land when the King, the Young Lord's father, was alive, a time when all races coexisted in harmony.

Walking through the bustling streets, the Young Lord sighed with emotion.

Princess Ming Mei, clad in a white robe, surveyed the surrounding crowd and nodded, knowing the Young Lord genuinely loved this place.

The Fifth Sister’s eyes also held a glimmer of nostalgia. Compared to countless years of imprisonment, returning to the human realm, even just to this small corner, brought a measure of warmth to her cold heart.

Just then, the burly young man trailing behind them couldn't help but speak.

"Brother, you call this warmth? Your power permeates every blade of grass and tree here. The wind blows, the grass sways, all according to your mood..."

The Young Lord's expression darkened, and he shot the Eighth Brother an annoyed look.

Princess Ming Mei turned, her gaze turning cold.

The Fifth Sister frowned, looking at him similarly.

Under the collective gaze of his three siblings, the burly young man trembled, instinctively drew a breath, and put on a fawning expression. He then shifted his form, transforming into an old man.

"Wonderful place, so warm, I love it!"

The Young Lord remained expressionless and continued walking.

Princess Ming Mei and the Fifth Sister withdrew their gazes.

The Eighth Brother breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Qing was thoughtful, discerning the hierarchy among these children of the sovereign.

"Princess Ming Mei holds the highest status, with the Young Lord nearly equal, but they both defer to the Fifth Princess. As for the Eighth Brother..."

Xu Qing recalled the scene he had witnessed with his divine sense, where the Eighth Brother was beaten.

"His status is probably similar to Ning Yan's."

With this understanding, Xu Qing adjusted his steps, following behind Princess Ming Mei and the Fifth Princess, drawing closer to the pharmacy. Soon, the figures of Wu Jianwu and Ancestor Mogui came into view, and their innovative poems reached his ears.

"Ten heavens, nine earths, eight winds, seven seas, six paths, five elements, quickly buy! Come and go, three pills, four peace, five spirits, six texts, no haggling..."

Wu Jianwu's poetry outside the earthen town's pharmacy had changed its style many times over this period. Now, he had innovated further, captivating the entire street and drawing many residents to make purchases.

Beside him, Ancestor Mogui seemed to have resigned himself to his fate, looking bored. However, deep down, he was constantly devising ways to escape.

He was cautious and had not made any rash moves in recent days, preferring to observe.

Now, having noticed some clues, and while repeatedly analyzing his escape plan, his peripheral vision caught sight of people approaching on the street. He instinctively shivered, put on a fawning smile, and was about to imitate Wu Jianwu in reciting poems. But the next second, he saw two old women, one in black and one in white, beside the Young Lord.

Upon seeing the old woman in white, Ancestor Mogui's mind reeled.

"Another Spirit-Nurturing Realm?"

His body trembled, filled with disbelief. His gaze then fell on the second old woman in black, and his mind churned intensely.

"This one is also Spirit-Nurturing!"

Ancestor Mogui stared blankly at the tall, burly old man at the very back.

"And there's..."

Ancestor Mogui's breath hitched. He felt it was all too surreal, like a dream, or rather, something he wouldn't even dare to fantasize about in a dream.

All of this caused his body to go limp instantly, and he dropped to his knees with a thud.

He submitted, with an unprecedented level of obedience.

At that moment, he harbored no thoughts of escape. He believed that within the Moon Sacrifice Great Domain, no one could save him unless the Crimson Moon Divine Temple went all out or the Scarlet Mother descended.

Wu Jianwu, surprised, followed Ancestor Mogui's gaze toward the street. After noticing Xu Qing and the Young Lord, he was about to greet them, but the next moment, he saw the two old women and the old man behind them.

The sight of these four elders walking together made Wu Jianwu freeze. He instinctively rubbed his eyes, and after confirming he hadn't seen wrong, his mind was utterly thunderstruck.

"No way, could it be... three more?"

Wu Jianwu was dumbfounded, unsure if his guess was true, but it didn't prevent the massive waves of shock from surging through his mind.

While he stood there in a daze, Xu Qing and the others walked past him.

It wasn't until the Eighth Brother walked past him, glanced over, and grinned.

"Little one, your poetry is good."

These words struck Wu Jianwu's ears like thunder, and his body went limp. He knelt down, staring blankly at the figure entering the pharmacy.

Even now, he found it hard to believe. He instinctively bit his tongue, and in the sharp pain, he whispered in a dazed and distraught manner.

"I actually saw four living Spirit-Nurturing powerhouses!"

The scene before him was deeply etched into Wu Jianwu's memory; he felt he would never forget it for the rest of his life.

Inside the shop, the moment Xu Qing entered, Ling'er, surprised and delighted, was about to rush over. But then she noticed the three additional elders beside Xu Qing, and she paused, looking surprised and uncertain.

"This little girl from the Ancient Spirit Tribe is quite good."

Princess Ming Mei looked at Ling'er, a smile appearing on her face.

She admired the Ancient Spirit Tribe's fighting style and had some Ancient Spirit Tribe friends in her early years, so Ling'er was not unfamiliar to her.

After all, Ling'er had been with Xu Qing when he rescued her.

"Hello, Grandma." Hearing this, Ling'er slowly walked to Xu Qing's side, tugged at his sleeve, and politely greeted Princess Ming Mei.

Princess Ming Mei's smile held a touch of benevolence, and she nodded.

The Fifth Sister nearby also realized the relationship between Xu Qing and Ling'er, so her expression softened considerably. The Eighth Brother, knowing Xu Qing's importance to his siblings, chuckled heartily.

At the same time, the hairless parrot flew rapidly from the backyard, crying out complaints as it flew.

"Grandpa, you're finally back! These past few days..."

Before the parrot could get close, it let out a squawk and was instantly snatched in mid-air by a large hand.

It was the Eighth Brother who had caught it.

The Eighth Brother's eyes gleamed with curiosity as he stared at the parrot and spoke in surprise.

"Brother, don't you find this little fellow's bloodline familiar? It must be a descendant of that one, cultivated by the kid outside."

The Young Lord chuckled.

"Cultivated?" The Eighth Brother's expression was peculiar. He glanced at Wu Jianwu outside, then held the parrot before him, examining it closely.

The parrot trembled, its eyes filled with terror, losing the ability to struggle. It felt that the old man before it was terrifying beyond measure, like a colossal furnace blazing intensely, and even a slight exposure would reduce it to ashes.

Also trembling at that moment was Ning Yan, who was wiping the floor. Like Wu Jianwu outside, his mind was constantly buzzing, and he stared blankly.

Looking at the Young Lord and the others, his mind was in turmoil, filled with disbelief.

"They're all... all Spirit-Nurturing powerhouses? And they're all here at the pharmacy?"

Li Youfei, trembling uncontrollably, immediately fell to his knees. However, compared to them, You Jing remained much calmer.

The moment she saw Princess Ming Mei and the others, a shock rose within her, but she quickly calmed down. After all, serving one Spirit-Nurturing powerhouse seemed no different from serving four; in any case, it meant she would suffer.

What she cared about most, ultimately, was her disgust and hatred for the Captain.

As for the Captain, his expression was excited, his face filled with flattery and subservience as he rushed from the back room.

"Grandpa, you're back! This morning, I heard the parrot squawking, and I guessed you might return today. How wonderful!"

"Hello, Grandma, hello, Grandpa." The Captain bowed and scraped, trying to make his tone as sweet as possible, but his heart was trembling. Although he had some premonition, he never expected Xu Qing to bring back four at once.

"Oh, this is terrible..."

Hearing this, the Eighth Brother shifted his gaze from the parrot, glanced at the Captain, and spoke to the Young Lord.

"Brother, why do you have a Divine Blight here?"

"And the aura is very familiar. I remember many years ago, when I still had some semblance of consciousness, a cultivator with a similar aura came to the entrance of my seal. Every time I slammed the door, they would knock, looking utterly despicable."

"Was that you?"

The Captain blinked, about to speak, when the Fifth Sister nearby let out a chilling voice.

"Many years ago, someone used a divine sacrificial dance to send a wisp of their divine sense into my sealed land, making an unreasonable demand. I consumed them."

Their words made Ning Yan gasp, Wu Jianwu outside the pharmacy was horrified, and Xu Qing also gave the Captain a profound look.

The Captain's heart pounded.

"Erniu, were you causing such trouble in those earlier years?" the Young Lord asked indifferently.

The Captain quickly shook his head, cautiously whispering.

"Grandpa, look how well-behaved I am... this must be a misunderstanding!"

The Young Lord gave a half-smile and did not pursue the matter, instead leading his siblings to their usual seats.

The moment they sat down, You Jing swiftly arrived with a kettle and respectfully brewed four cups of tea. Princess Ming Mei picked up a teacup, took a sip, looked around, and nodded slightly.

"This place is quite nice."

The Fifth Sister's gaze swept across the pharmacy, glancing at Ning Yan and the others, and she nodded gently.

"Youth is truly wonderful."

The Eighth Brother finished his tea in one gulp and let out a long sigh.

"If you all think it's good, then it truly is."

And so, a day passed, with everyone in the pharmacy on edge.

When the small pharmacy opened the next day, everything was as usual: Ning Yan wiped the floor, You Jing boiled water, and Wu Jianwu and Ancestor Mogui called out their wares. Li Youfei did odd jobs, and the Captain stood guard.

The only difference was that today they worked with exceptional effort, and there were now four people drinking tea.

However, much of the time, only the Young Lord remained seated there.

This was because, over the next half-month, Princess Ming Mei showed a clear interest in Ling'er, often taking her out. Each time they returned, Ling'er would be very excited, and her cultivation fluctuations would noticeably increase.

The chicken coop in the backyard, meanwhile, piqued the Fifth Sister's interest. She seemed to be very fond of the chicks and took over Ning Yan's duties.

As for the Eighth Brother, after interacting with everyone, he became quite curious about Chen Erniu. The Captain also worked hard to please him, so the old man and the young one had many pleasant conversations during the day.

As for Xu Qing, he had adapted to the weight of the sun, and when the hat on his head could barely support it, the Young Lord proposed his new training regimen.

Unlike before, Princess Ming Mei was also present this time.

"Xu Qing, your Heavenly Dao, Spirit-Nurturing Mountain, and your nascent soul that transforms into a cage, these three are quite unique. You can meditate on them further after your cultivation breaks through."

"Also, regarding your Bottle of Time and the Dawnlight formed from the fallen sun, my third sister is better suited than I am to guide you."

At this point, the Young Lord looked at his third sister.

Xu Qing sat opposite the Young Lord, listening attentively. He wasn't surprised that the Young Lord had instantly revealed all his hidden capabilities, and he now looked at Princess Ming Mei.

"The Bottle of Time is a unique imperial artifact. I don't know its mysterious origins, but it indeed contains temporal magic. However, this magic can be learned, and you need to constantly meditate on it and engrave it in your heart. Time is exceedingly profound, and everyone's path to it is unique."

Princess Ming Mei's gaze swept over Xu Qing.

Xu Qing's body stiffened, feeling as though he had been seen through completely.

"Your Soul Lamp is already on the path of temporal Dao. Just continue along it. It's not simple that you, without our sovereign bloodline, can reverse-gather your Soul Lamp. This is likely why the Young Lord thinks highly of you." The Young Lord smiled upon hearing this.

"It's a pity that with our current abilities, we cannot silently unseal the Ninth Brother's sealed land. Otherwise, if the Ninth Brother were free, his Soul Lamp Divine Fire Art would actually be very suitable for this boy."

The Third Sister nodded and continued.

"As for the Dawnlight, this light is rare, and I haven't researched it."

"However, I once saw a prince possess it when I was with the Ancient Emperor. At that time, when that prince manifested the Dawnlight, he could instantly transform into the sun."

"Although he couldn't display its full might, it still contained partial solar power, radiant and astonishingly vast, rendering all techniques unable to harm him in the slightest!"

"So, little one, don't let your thoughts be confined. Sometimes, for certain divine abilities, your imagination determines their strength. You can fully integrate and combine your other abilities."

To understand and integrate this into one's perception is incredibly difficult.

Today, her goal was to make Xu Qing realize that Dawnlight and the Golden Crow could complement each other, and this combination could unleash greater power, serving as the best pairing to form a trump card.

But she didn't reveal it immediately. She wanted to give Xu Qing some time to think and absorb it. Once he truly grasped the concept, he might achieve enlightenment on his own.

This approach would leave a far deeper impression than if she had simply told him directly.

Xu Qing's mind stirred upon hearing this. Princess Ming Mei's words echoed in his mind, lingering long afterward.

A feeling of profound enlightenment arose within him.

His thoughts soared, generating numerous ideas that constantly collided and merged, giving birth to one spark of inspiration after another.

After a while, Xu Qing's mind cleared, his thoughts became lucid, and he suddenly looked up, his eyes shining with an exceptionally serious expression.

"Thank you, Senior. I understand!"

Xu Qing's eyes gleamed brightly. As soon as he spoke, the Young Lord, who was drinking tea, felt a jolt in his heart.

"Oh? What did you understand?" she asked, then raised her hand to take her teacup.

"Senior, I understand what you want to tell me. You're trying to remind me that light isn't limited to a single form!"

Xu Qing took a deep breath. "Its form can actually be freely transformed, and transformation is also a capability of light, and an extremely powerful one at that."

Princess Ming Mei's hand, reaching for the teacup, paused slightly.

Xu Qing, looking excited, continued.

"Therefore... since Dawnlight can repel all techniques, it must also be able to transform into all methods!"

"Exactly! Senior's meaning is to tell me that what limits the strength of my divine abilities is my imagination. I was too constrained before!"

"I understand now that Dawnlight doesn't have just one way of being used."

"I should use Dawnlight to simulate others' techniques!"

"And since light possesses the ability to transform, it will certainly succeed! This is the true path for Dawnlight!"

Xu Qing suddenly stood up, his heart surging with excitement, and looked at Princess Ming Mei, awaiting her assessment.

The Young Lord was silent.

Princess Ming Mei also remained silent, seemingly in thought. A few seconds later, she picked up her teacup and nodded.

Seeing that he was acknowledged, Xu Qing took a deep breath. He felt that Princess Ming Mei was indeed worthy of the Young Lord's respect; her words had brought him sudden clarity.

Xu Qing cherished this feeling. He clasped his hands in respect to Princess Ming Mei, then turned and headed straight to the back room to begin his research.

After he left, Princess Ming Mei put down her teacup, turned, and gave the Young Lord a profound look.

The Young Lord smiled wryly and transmitted his voice.

"How's the comprehension of my half-disciple? Quite unique, isn't it?"

Princess Ming Mei's expression remained calm as she spoke lightly.

"Mind your words. He is not your half-disciple. If this child can complete what he has comprehended within three months, you won't need to teach him anymore."

"I will teach him!"

Time flowed by, and three days passed.

During these three days, Xu Qing remained immersed in his research of the Dawnlight, constantly spreading his own Dawnlight in the back room, attempting to transform it.

The process was not very smooth, but Xu Qing did not give up. He pondered continuously, even thinking of the photographic jade slips.

"Photographic jade slips can record everything, and their principle is also related to light!"

"Also, when Senior Brother was in the world fragment, he imprinted that palm print onto human skin. Its principle also utilized the convergence of light..."

Thinking of this, Xu Qing felt a surge of emotion.

Senior Ming Mei was indeed a master; her guidance was spot-on. I had been foolish not to think of Dawnlight when these events were happening right before my eyes!

Xu Qing pondered. The first thing he thought of was the jade tube, so he took it out and began to study it.

That night, as Xu Qing gained some insights from his research, the Captain secretly sought him out, looking mysterious.

"Little Ah Qing, big things are happening soon."

Xu Qing looked up upon hearing this, turning to face the Captain.

"Soon?"

He knew the Captain's purpose in coming to the Ku Sheng Mountain Range was to do something big, but Xu Qing hadn't asked for the specifics.

"Little Ah Qing, the time for our big undertaking in the Ku Sheng Mountain Range is approaching. When we look up at the sky and see not only the blood-red light but also the Crimson Moon and the stars, that will be our day of departure!"

"I've calculated these past few days; the time is very near. And this time, our big undertaking will be different from before," the Captain said proudly, squatting in front of Xu Qing and whispering.

"Before, we'd always operate secretly, then flee quickly, leaving no trace. But this time..."

"We're going to let all beings in the Moon Sacrifice Great Domain see us!"

The Captain's expression was arrogant.

"You can think of this big event as a play we're performing on stage, and the beings of the Moon Sacrifice Great Domain will witness it with their own eyes from below!"

"What's more, this time, Great Sword Sword, Little Ning Ning, and Ling'er will all participate. We're going all out!"

"It's just a shame that I've been talking to the elders these past few days, trying to get them to join us. That would save us so much trouble, but they refused."

At this point, the Captain became timid.

"I came to you not only to tell you about the big event but also hoping you could persuade them..."

Xu Qing hesitated, about to speak, when the Young Lord's cold snort echoed in his mind.

"No!"

Xu Qing's expression turned serious. He looked at the Captain and gravely replied.

"Senior Brother, I think if we want to grow, we should temper ourselves more."

The Captain blinked. Xu Qing nodded.

"Alright..."

The Captain's heart twinged, but he reluctantly left. In the three days after he departed, the Captain's mournful wails could be heard from Wu Jianwu's room every night, and on one occasion, Ning Yan was even called over.

It was unclear what the Captain was doing.

Every morning, Wu Jianwu would emerge with a pale face, looking extremely fatigued. As for Ning Yan, after going once, he too looked ghastly pale the next day.

Ling'er, curious, went to ask.

Wu Jianwu remained silent, and Ning Yan sighed.

"It's fine, it's not the first time..."

Ling'er became even more curious.

However, these wails lasted only three days. When the Captain reappeared, his face was still pale. He cast a resentful glance at the Young Lord and the others drinking tea, then went to the back room to find Xu Qing.

"Little Ah Qing, this time we're doing it ourselves! I've prepared the props. Now, lend me your artifact spirit."

The Captain panted, his eyes filled with determination.

"What exactly is this big event this time?" Xu Qing withdrew his mind from studying the jade slips, waved his hand to take out the fish bone, and tossed it to the Captain.

"A play!" The Captain snatched it. Inside the fish bone, the Patriarch of the Vajra Sect trembled slightly.

"Then we'll need some ancient costumes. That's a bit of a headache; outfits from the Ancient Emperor's era were mainly exquisite, and the materials were very precious... But it's fine. Big Butt should have quite a few secretly stashed away."

Talking about the big event, the Captain became invigorated.

"Little Ah Qing, this big event will be completely different from anything we've done before!"