Chapter 685: Golden Crow Sky Rhino, Emperor-Level Duel

Along with this river of time, all living beings in this place were submerged.

If one possessed divine eyes, looking down from the highest vantage point at this moment, they would see islands, statues of Sovereigns, and countless cultivators within the tumultuous river of time that surged through this area. All of them were immersed, unmoving. Everyone's time was frozen at a previous moment; they were neither alive nor dead, solidified with the passage of time.

However, nine of these cultivators were missing!

The five members of the Crown Prince's group were absent, and Li Xiaoshan, Godsparrow, Chen Erniu, and Xu Qing were also nowhere to be found. The instant the Gate of Ages opened, Princess Mingmei's forbidden art had sent them into the past timeline of the Red Moon Divine Son, scattering them across different temporal nodes.

To ensure the destruction of all nodes, each person was sent to a specific point in time based on their cultivation. For instance, the Captain was sent to the moment the Divine Son broke through the Golden Core stage and entered the Nascent Soul stage. Li Xiaoshan was sent to the instant the Divine Son broke through the Spirit Repository stage and entered the Soul Return stage. As for Godsparrow, he was sent to the moment the Divine Son shattered a major realm and entered the Spirit Imbuement stage. Similarly for Xu Qing, the node arranged for him was the moment the Divine Son broke through the Nascent Soul stage and entered the Spirit Repository stage.

Only by eliminating the Divine Son at all these nodes could his ritual be completely foiled, leading to his divine fire self-immolation.

The reason the Divine Son at each node was at the early stage of a major realm was due to the requirements of his deification ritual. He needed the power of time generated at the very moment all his siblings broke through a major realm. This power of time from breakthroughs constituted the first step of his deification ritual. The second step involved his continuous breakthrough from weakness to strength after merging these temporal energies. Like a snowball, this power would erupt from the Qi Condensation stage across fourteen nodes, converging into an invincible aura. Ultimately, this accumulated breakthrough time from his siblings and himself would replace the final step of the deification ritual. This would allow him to successfully achieve godhood!

This method differed from the Crimson Mother's deification ritual but was equally profound and beyond the capabilities of ordinary beings. Unfortunately, the appearance of the Crown Prince's group introduced an unforeseen variable into the Divine Son's destined ritual.

At this moment, the heavens and earth roared, and the long river surged. Within the waves, ancient scenes were visible, depicting the figures of the Crown Prince's group and the Captain. Within one of these waves, Xu Qing, who had vanished into the river, was now reappearing. The moment he appeared, his cultivation immediately circulated throughout his body. His heart was vigilant, and a sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he surveyed his surroundings.

This was an unfamiliar world. The sky was clear, without a single cloud for thousands of miles. The blue firmament resembled silk, imparting a sense of refreshment and ease. The breeze carried the sweet fragrance of plants and felt light and ethereal. It landed gently on his skin, seemingly able to seep into his very heart. The land was verdant, and while vegetation flourished, a dense spiritual energy permeated this world. From a distance, in some places, the spiritual energy had even transformed into mist, making this world resemble a celestial realm. Numerous spirit beasts could be seen running among the mountains, and immortal birds circled the sky, emitting clear, resonant calls, like heavenly music. Long rivers also crisscrossed the land, their waters clear and teeming with plump fish. The entire world was like a paradise, a place Xu Qing had never witnessed in his life.

The world he came from was permeated with alien matter, inhabited by gods, where spiritual energy was corrupted like poison, and living beings suffered like livestock. But here, it was completely different.

Xu Qing raised his head, looking towards the sky. "The God's Remnant Face…" In the sky, the colossal entity that had existed eternally in his memory was absent from this world! The God's Remnant Face had not yet arrived.

“At this node, the entire Wanggu Continent had not yet experienced the catastrophe. Emperor Xuanyou still ruled all of Wanggu, and humanity at this time… was the supreme race of Wanggu.”

Xu Qing murmured, then walked forward. He needed to find the Divine Son who was breaking through nearby. As he advanced, immortal birds flew past him, but they quickly returned, circling around Xu Qing and showing a sense of familiarity. The spirit beasts on the ground reacted similarly; upon seeing Xu Qing, they each let out calls, seemingly in worship. They were worshipping humanity.

This scene stirred a ripple in Xu Qing's heart, reminding him of humanity's lowly status in the outside world. However, in this temporal node, everything was different. The lush mountains, clear waters, and the spirit beasts and immortal birds here all exuded tranquility.

Xu Qing gazed in all directions, yearning to go further and see this world that had not yet experienced the catastrophe. But he understood that the most important task now was to eliminate the Divine Son. So, Xu Qing took a deep breath, and with a flicker of his body, he shot forward. Without the iron ball weighing him down, Xu Qing's speed was astonishing with the slightest movement, leaving afterimages as he instantly vanished into the distance. He unleashed his divine sense, searching with all his might, and his shadow beneath him spread rapidly, assisting in the search.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xu Qing, who had been soaring across the sky like a rainbow, paused and suddenly turned his head to look eastward. “There!” From the direction he looked, fluctuations of the Spirit Repository stage were emanating.

Without hesitation, Xu Qing surged forward like rushing thunder, whistling directly eastward. He quickly traversed a thousand miles, and a vast basin came into view. The basin was a hundred miles in circumference, appearing as if it had been formed by a colossal extraterrestrial rock. Vertical streaks were visible around its edges. At the center of this basin was an enormous black rhinoceros. This rhinoceros was immense, possessing an aura capable of devouring mountains and rivers. Terrifying fluctuations emanated from its entire body as it now bellowed towards the sky. Its deafening roar shattered metal and rock, causing ripples to form in the sky. Furthermore, auspicious light descended from thin air, enveloping the rhinoceros and forming armor around its body. Faintly, a hidden treasure could be seen flickering within the rhinoceros's body.

The instant Xu Qing arrived, the rhinoceros immediately sensed him. It sharply turned its head, snorted two plumes of mist from its nostrils, and glared coldly. Xu Qing's figure paused, and his gaze met that of the rhinoceros. To his eyes, this rhinoceros was illusory. Deep within it, a black-robed youth sat cross-legged. He had a handsome face and a cold expression. A dangerous aura emanated from his entire being, and a river of time swirled around him. That river did not belong to him but was Princess Mingmei's forbidden art.

“Ant.” The black-robed youth spoke calmly, raising his right hand and pointing at Xu Qing. At his gesture, the black rhinoceros outside his body roared again, its massive form expanding rapidly, growing larger and larger. It eventually reached ten thousand feet, detaching from the youth's body, and shot towards Xu Qing like a black meteor. As it advanced, the heavens and earth trembled. Waves of terrifying aura erupted from the rhinoceros; its momentum was like a rainbow, seemingly capable of shattering all in its path. At this moment, it rolled forward with overwhelming force and violent might, instantly closing the distance.

That was an Emperor-tier cultivation technique! Its sheer power surpassed all Emperor-tier techniques Xu Qing had ever witnessed.

Xu Qing's eyes gleamed sharply. He had just broken through the Nascent Soul stage and entered the Spirit Repository. Against anyone else, he would have confidence, but this was the Son of a Sovereign. Even though the opponent's cultivation was currently equal to his own, Xu Qing harbored no complacency. Yet, he did not retreat; instead, battle intent flickered in his eyes. He wanted to know whether his accumulated foundation from his cultivation journey was stronger or weaker than his opponent's!

With battle intent erupting in his heart, Xu Qing raised his right hand, formed a seal, and pointed. Instantly, the Golden Crow totem on his body grew scalding hot. With a cry, the Golden Crow ascended from Xu Qing. Its thousand tails spread in all directions, its black body exuded astonishing power, and flames instantly ignited, spreading into a sea of fire that roared towards the charging rhinoceros. Flames burned, and the sea of fire surged, meeting the rhinoceros in an instant. The sea of fire roared, scattering backward. The black rhinoceros, with astonishing momentum, broke through everything and crashed before the Golden Crow. However, what awaited it was the whistling assault of a thousand blade-like tails and the Golden Crow's open maw, inhaling with its myriad-spirit refining technique.

In an instant, the black rhinoceros trembled from head to toe. The Fourth Son of the Sovereign, sitting cross-legged in the basin, frowned slightly and let out a cold snort. “Howling Moon!” As he spoke, the black rhinoceros radiated a pitch-black glow, transforming the surroundings into black holes. It roared towards the sky, shaking the Golden Crow away. The sky trembled, and a white moon actually formed in the firmament, mysteriously linked to the rhinoceros. It shattered everything, forcing the Golden Crow to retreat. This was precisely the essence of the Fourth Son of the Sovereign's Emperor-tier cultivation technique, named 'Heavenly Rhinoceros Howling Moon'. Generally, it was rare for someone to manifest an Emperor-tier cultivation technique to this extent, especially when his current realm was only Spirit Repository.

However, the next instant, Xu Qing's expression remained calm. He formed a seal and pointed, and the retreating Golden Crow instantly withered, its flesh and blood dissipating, revealing a black long spear from within its body. The moment this spear appeared, the heavens and earth changed color. Roaring thunder, like the howl of the Heavenly Dao, echoed in the area, seemingly forbidding this spear from descending into the world. But it still descended. Xu Qing had also comprehended the essence of an Emperor-tier cultivation technique. The Fourth Son of the Sovereign's expression instantly turned solemn, mixed with surprise, as the black long spear, carrying world-destroying power, instantly descended towards the rhinoceros. Even the descending white moon was futile in its attempt to block. The next moment, with a deafening roar and the violent backlash of a circular shockwave, the white moon shattered. The long spear pierced through everything, violently impaling the Heavenly Rhinoceros. It struck its brow, pierced through its entire body, and plunged into the earth.

The Heavenly Rhinoceros wailed, the earth rumbled, and Xu Qing, with burning battle intent in his eyes, strode directly towards the Fourth Son of the Sovereign. At the same time, a chilling expression appeared on the Fourth Son's face.

“Somewhat interesting.”

As his voice echoed, the low voice of the Old Ancestor of the Vajra Sect resounded in Xu Qing's mind. “Master, based on this old man’s years of reading stories, anyone who speaks so boastfully is clearly the main antagonist, destined to fail. We are sure to win, Master, press on!”

The Old Ancestor was also helpless in his heart. He felt that if he didn't make an appearance, he worried he would become cannon fodder in this battle, so he racked his brains to highlight his importance.

Xu Qing ignored him. Stepping forward with astonishing speed, he slammed towards the basin. Amidst the roar, the Fourth Son of the Sovereign was equally swift. He instantly rose into the air, and after evading Xu Qing, he pressed his right hand towards the sky, as if grasping something unseen, and violently pulled it down. Immediately, a rift opened in the firmament, from which endless black mist surged forth. At the center of this mist was a black rattle drum. Its two drumheads depicted eerie images: one side was imprinted with a demonic ghost, and the other with the wailing of myriad races, making it appear exceptionally strange. Now, it slowly descended, grasped by the Fourth Son of the Sovereign, emitting an ink-like aura that corroded everything. Even the spiritual energy of the place was affected, becoming distorted. With a gentle shake, the drum pulsed, "dong-dong," its sound spreading in all directions. Where the sound spread, all things withered.

That was a poisonous curse technique.

“Interesting.” Xu Qing glanced at the drum, his eyes dark, and spoke calmly.

The Old Ancestor of the Vajra Sect took a breath, intending to give a warning, but after a thought, quickly changed his words. “When that phrase comes from Master's mouth, it's clearly different; the aura is distinct. We are about to break traditional notions and achieve certain victory!”