Chapter 669: Red Moon's Authority, Absolutely Unmatched

Before the Scarlet Mother ascended to godhood, the ruler of this vast domain beheaded her on the God-Slaying Platform. That day, her severed head disintegrated into ash and vanished into the void, leaving behind only her body, which sank into the long river of time.

Later, the Scarlet Mother, having mysteriously achieved divinity, returned to suppress heaven and earth. She then employed a divine technique to retrieve her mortal form from the annals of time and placed it here, where it became a foundational relic of the Red Moon Temple.

This extraordinary artifact was originally only usable by a Divine Son. Yet now it has appeared here, summoned by the Temple Emperor, a move fraught with profound implications.

Its appearance shook the vast desert. As it descended, the desert floor sank hundreds, even thousands of feet. The ground roared, collapsing into a deep crater, while the sky above changed color and fractured.

An endless downpour of blood filled the newly formed depression, quickly transforming it into a crimson lake or sea. Waves churned across the blood-sea, their roar echoing in all directions. The vast desert had vanished entirely, replaced by a surging sea of blood, magnificent and awe-inspiring.

This cataclysmic scene, which transformed the desert into a sea, stunned everyone. The Bitter Life Mountain Range now stood as an isolated island amidst this crimson expanse.

The gray winds, too, were steadily dissipating, barely clinging to the Bitter Life Mountain Range. Everyone could sense that these winds were on the verge of collapse.

Beyond the winds, above the blood-sea, countless Red Moon cultivators stood in dense throngs, their expressions fanatical as they chanted. In the heavens, the Temple Emperor prostrated himself in worship before the headless mortal form, which now unleashed a power capable of suppressing all.

Its immense influence spread throughout the entire Moon Offering Great Domain. In that moment, all living beings trembled, everything shook, and the countless regions of the vast domain resonated with a deep rumble. Such an aura belonged solely to a deity.

Within the Bitter Life Mountain Range, the Fourth Hall Master, his subordinates, and the local cultivators were all utterly horrified and overcome with despair. They were powerless to resist, unable to stem the tide.

The pharmacy's inhabitants were no different. Ning Yan trembled uncontrollably, staring at the blood-sea outside and the mortal form in the sky, his mind completely blank. Even Wu Jianwu ceased his poetry, his heart now a maelstrom of panic. The little chicks in the backyard had already huddled in a corner, trembling uncontrollably. Li Youfei was in an even worse state; even the spectral essence, You Jing, struggled to remain calm.

Only Ling'er, whose trust in Xu Qing bordered on blind faith, remained steadfast. She believed that as long as Brother Xu Qing was present, any difficulty could be overcome. Yet, the situation had escalated to an extremely perilous point.

As the Red Moon Temple Emperor in mid-air raised his head and gazed coldly at the isolated island on the blood-sea, he lifted his right hand and pressed it forward. Instantly, the descending mortal form of the Scarlet Mother vanished. It reappeared, hovering directly above the Bitter Life Mountain Range.

Its skin slowly unfurled, expanding to an immense size, ultimately reforming into a vast canopy—a cloth-like expanse imprinted with mountains, stars, and the wails of sentient beings. This canopy then began to envelop and gradually encase the entire Bitter Life Mountain Range.

"Please, our Lord, partake!" the Temple Emperor's devout voice resonated in all directions. At the same moment, all Red Moon cultivators on the blood-sea vociferously echoed the same words. Subsequently, all Red Moon cultivators bowed their heads and resumed their chanting. For a deity's feast must not be directly witnessed.

Beyond their sight, the skin—transformed from the mortal form—exuded an aura of boundless malevolence and a profound hunger. It completely enveloped the Bitter Life Mountain Range, coiling and contracting. It intended to devour everything within the mountain range.

Within, the gray storm struggled fiercely, while the cultivators of the Bitter Life Mountain Range, consumed by despair, went mad. The Fourth Hall Master let out a fierce roar, his cultivation surging as he led all his subordinates, facing death without hesitation, to strike together. Though their resistance was akin to a mantis trying to stop a chariot, the spirit of the Defying Moon was one of defiance.

A muffled rumble immediately reverberated. The blood-sea rippled, churning up colossal waves, and the chanting of the Red Moon cultivators upon its surface grew more fervent. Only the Red Moon Temple Emperor slightly raised his head, gazing intently at the colossal, pulsating mass that had formed after the Scarlet Mother's mortal skin fully enveloped the Bitter Life Mountain Range.

"All resistance here is futile," the Temple Emperor calmly stated. "Food will always remain just food." He then turned to gaze devoutly at the Red Moon star on the horizon.

Meanwhile, within the confines of the mortal skin, the cultivators of the Bitter Life Mountain Range found their sky obscured and their surroundings completely ensnared. Only a constant, increasing stream of blood rain poured from the Scarlet Mother's mortal form, steadily accumulating upon the land.

At this moment, strange matter erupted, and wails echoed relentlessly. Mountain peaks began to crumble, and earthen cities disintegrated one after another. Even Dan Jiu's statues began to collapse, leaving his followers bitter and bewildered. The valiant woman among them, once so spirited, was now silent and disheartened.

The entire mountain range, under the ceaseless undulation of the skin, was shrinking. Its edges were vanishing in large sections, forcing people to quickly flee. Everything that vanished was devoured, becoming part of the skin itself. One could surmise that the mountains, sentient beings, and even the sun, moon, and stars previously depicted upon it had all been imprinted through this very process of absorption.

However, the rate of disappearance was not yet rapid. The storm, formed from the Moonflame Deity's hair, though largely suppressed, was still raging. Nevertheless, it was merely buying time. Without a miracle, the storm would soon dissipate, and once the skin had fully consumed everything, the Bitter Life Mountain Range would vanish without a trace, its image then appearing as one of the totems upon the skin.

While the cultivators of the Bitter Life Mountain Range faced this catastrophe and futilely resisted, within the Defying Moon Temple, the highest hall, suspended in mid-air, began to rumble with even greater intensity. The main door shuddered far more violently than before, its booming tremors like exploding thunder shaking all directions. The sound was even more deafening inside the hall itself.

Through the combined efforts of Xu Qing and the Captain, and with sufficient Divine Son's blood burning, the totem on the great door grew progressively dimmer, less than one-tenth of its power remaining. However, this final tenth represented the core source and proved incredibly stubborn; even the burning Divine Son's blood could not quickly dilute or dim it.

The Captain, undeterred, transformed into a small totem and fiercely bit into it. A cracking sound reverberated as the Captain recoiled, yet that final core tenth remained utterly unmoved. Seeing this, the Captain sighed. "This damned thing is too tough to crack, Little A-Qing," he muttered. "We might still need more time."

Xu Qing looked exhausted. Though outside the great door, he had been continuously directing the burning of the Divine Son's blood, facilitating his senior brother's efforts. This process had taken a significant toll on his mental energy.

"There's no time," Xu Qing stated. Though he hadn't returned to the pharmacy, his connection with Ling'er kept him keenly aware of the unfolding events outside. "The Red Moon Temple has arrived, and the Scarlet Mother's mortal form has descended," he continued. "The situation is now incredibly dire."

Xu Qing looked at the Captain, who was startled by the news. "The mortal form? That's the Red Moon Temple's greatest foundation! They must be desperate to use it so quickly!"

"Regardless, it has already descended," Xu Qing stated slowly, determination shining in his eyes. "Senior Brother, I intend to unleash my Purple Moon power to devour this final totem. I'll need your help."

The Captain's eyes glinted, understanding the gravity of the situation. "If you try to devour it, your body won't be able to withstand it."

"By becoming the Lord of Defying Moon, I can utilize the temple itself to constantly suppress its power within me," Xu Qing explained, taking a deep breath. It was the only way to accelerate their progress now. The Captain remained silent for a moment before nodding gravely. "Very well, let's risk it all!"

Without hesitation, Xu Qing formed hand seals and pressed them against the great hall's door. The Purple Moon power within him erupted, and instantly, drops of blood began to seep from his entire body. A lake of blood rapidly formed around him, and as it churned, a phantom divine treasury could be seen rising and falling within, emanating a potent aura of blood authority.

The next moment, this blood-lake surged with a roar, rushing directly towards the door. The Captain, giving his all, spun his small totem into a swirling vortex to receive Xu Qing's blood. In the blink of an eye, upon contact, the blood-lake formed by Xu Qing surged through the vortex into the great door, sweeping through all directions and hurtling towards the Scarlet Mother's final totem core.

To Xu Qing's perception, the totem core was a crimson mark. This mark pulsed with sanguine light, radiating divine power so intense that no entity of lesser status could even approach it. However, Xu Qing's authority stemmed from the Red Moon, sharing the same origin as the Scarlet Mother. In that instant, he closed in and struck forcefully.

With a resounding boom, the great door violently shook. At that very moment, the Captain also charged forward, opening his maw wide for a full-force bite. The sound intensified, a deafening roar echoing throughout the entire Defying Moon Temple. The blood-lake formed by Xu Qing collapsed and recoiled, and the Captain let out a pained wail. Yet, the blood-lake swiftly re-formed and struck again. The Captain, equally frenzied, flashed with blue light and charged again with renewed ferocity.

Additionally, the Divine Son's blood continued to burn and corrode the mark. With Xu Qing and the Captain giving their all, time elapsed, and several hours passed. After numerous impacts, the mark finally succumbed, fracturing and cracking.

Xu Qing was utterly exhausted, and the Captain's wails were now tinged with weakness. However, seeing the cracks appear, they instantly surged forward again. Amidst an unprecedented eruption of thunderous roars, the mark finally shattered into fragments. The moment it fractured, a golden light burst forth from within. The source of this golden radiance was, surprisingly, a phantom image.

The figure was vaguely discernable as a woman, clad in a tattered robe, her hands covering her eyes from which blood flowed. Golden light emanated from her entire being, making her appear incredibly sacred. It was the Scarlet Mother!

Murmurs, a sense of distortion, and an alien haze erupted intensely at this moment, transforming into divine power that enveloped both Xu Qing and the Captain. Xu Qing's blood-lake instantly boiled and visibly dissipated. The Captain, too, rapidly blurred, as if on the verge of being erased. Yet, his frenzy also fully erupted at this very moment.

"Little A-Qing, let's devour it! Consider it a warm-up!"

The dissolving blood-lake coalesced into Xu Qing's form. As he stared at the Scarlet Mother's phantom, an intense, irrepressible craving surged within him, becoming pure instinct. An extreme hunger also erupted at that moment. In that instant, his humanity began to wane as divinity spread through him, threatening to shatter his internal balance. He made no attempt to stop it, allowing his divinity to rise, supplanting his consciousness, and a cold voice emanated from him.

"The authority of the Red Moon tolerates no second master!"

As he spoke, Xu Qing's entire body blazed with sanguine light, which surged to cover the great hall door. With greed, hunger, and chilling calm, he lunged to devour the Scarlet Mother's phantom. The Captain burst into laughter, madness in his eyes, opening his maw wide to devour as well!