Chapter 704: You Should Have Called Them Over Sooner

In the sky, the battle between the Sovereign Li Zihua and the Crimson Mother continued to unfold like a painting in everyone's perception, but Xu Qing's heart was churning violently.

"Immortals... Sovereigns... Houtu... Huangtian... God Realm." The Captain's words were like bolts of lightning across Xu Qing's sea of consciousness, stirring up layers of ripples and swirling through his mind.

Xu Qing had never heard of these matters before. He only knew, while comprehending the God-Slaying Platform, that the Crimson Mother and Sovereign Li Zihua were not from the Wanggu Continent; they came from a forbidden realm known as Heigu.

Perhaps that place was indeed called Huangtian.

How could he know so much? Even though Xu Qing had grown accustomed to the Captain's mysterious nature, he still took a deep breath.

"Senior Brother, how do you know so many secrets?"

The Captain gave a half-smile. "Junior Brother, I told you it's just a legend. You don't actually think it's true, do you?"

Xu Qing remained silent, glancing at the Captain.

"Senior Brother, how many lifetimes have you existed?"

The Captain blinked. Seeing Xu Qing like this, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in his heart, thinking, 'Junior Brother, Junior Brother, now you know how formidable your Senior Brother is, right?'

Thinking of this, the Captain cleared his throat and declared proudly, "I existed before the heavens, and I was born before the earth."

"Senior Brother, don't interact with Wu Jianwu too much in the future." Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and ignored him. Regardless of whether what the Captain said was a legend, or how many lifetimes he had lived, none of it was truly important. What was important was the present moment.

Xu Qing looked up, gazing at the divine battle in the sky.

Due to his limited perception and status, he couldn't discern the true form of this divine battle, but he understood its crucial importance and significance.

Especially the latter.

This was a battle between cultivators and gods, something many cultivators would never witness in their entire lives. Thus, a decisive resolve rose in Xu Qing's heart. He first activated his purple crystal, allowing its restorative power to spread throughout his body. Then, the Poison Restrictions within him naturally surged, appearing in his eyes.

In the blink of an eye, his eyes turned completely black. It wasn't over yet. Xu Qing then unleashed the power of his Red Moon authority. A large amount of blood flowed from his body, forming a swirling vortex around him.

Under the influence of this divine power, Xu Qing focused intensely and looked at the sky, saying, "With this gaze, the scene in the sky has changed!"

The abstract painting continuously shifted in Xu Qing's vision, like a blooming flower. After continuous expansion, the colors within it also began to merge.

This merging seemed to last for a long time, yet also felt like just an instant.

Then, the entire scene became hazy in Xu Qing's eyes. Amidst the blur, he vaguely saw a figure: Li Zihua.

He still maintained his human form, battling the Crimson Mother. With each move, he seemed to strip away rules from the Wanggu Continent, unleashing them to strike the Crimson Mother.

The Heavenly Dao was like a furnace, providing Li Zihua with an inexhaustible supply of power for battle.

Furthermore, their exchange was not happening in a single space-time, but simultaneously across countless space-times. The scene this created was identical to how the Red Moon had transformed under the gaze of the divine remnant.

Forbidden weapons howled around him. Each one carried world-destroying power and lethal intent, surging towards the Crimson Mother.

As they intersected, the forms of these forbidden weapons also changed. They were no longer weapons, but transformed into figures resembling gods.

It seemed they were once gods themselves, now sealed and driven.

This battle appeared simple, but Xu Qing could feel that this was the absolute limit of his current perception. Perhaps this wasn't even the true battle; if he were to witness the true battle with his current endurance, he would likely be annihilated in an instant.

Despite this, personally witnessing Sovereign Li Zihua make a move profoundly impacted Xu Qing, virtually overturning his understanding.

"So, the rules of the Heavenly Dao can be wielded in this manner. This also aligns with why the Heavenly Dao acts like a furnace within the secret treasuries of Spirit Treasure cultivators. In fact, for cultivators of higher realms, the ancient Heavenly Dao of this continent is also a furnace."

"Previously, the Captain said that the Heavenly Dao of the Wanggu Continent was erected by the earliest group of people. So, if the Heavenly Dao is actually a supreme treasure created by cultivators, who first erected a Heavenly Dao in a place previously without one, then can it be understood that once cultivation reaches a certain level, one must integrate their own Heavenly Dao into the world's trajectory... just like the Red Moon Divine Son ignited the divine flame?"

Xu Qing took a deep breath. His secret treasury rumbled behind him. As he understood more, his secret treasury also adjusted. Within it, the Canglong was not merely a furnace but also became a weapon for Xu Qing. And Xu Qing's gains didn't stop there.

"So forbidden weapons have another transformation; their weapon form is merely superficial, not their true essence. Why are their true forms those of beings resembling gods? Could it be that the forbidden weapons sealed within imperial-grade cultivation techniques are actually the defeated gods from the legendary battle between immortals and gods that the Captain spoke of?"

A tearing sensation filled Xu Qing's mind. Everything he saw and felt gradually pushed his endurance to its limit.

His vision, which had been clear, gradually became hazy again, then abstract. In that final instant, Xu Qing looked at the Crimson Mother, who was battling Li Zihua.

The Crimson Mother was no longer the exquisitely beautiful figure she once was. It was difficult to describe; simply put, she felt to Xu Qing like a combination of human form, feathers, and flesh. In his eyes, the Crimson Mother shifted between a woman and feathered flesh, merging in a grotesque manner.

Furthermore, countless red thread-worms encircled her. These worms appeared ferocious, their aura terrifying. They exuded a dense power of the Red Moon, as if they were the very embodiment of the Red Moon's authority.

Perhaps, more accurately, "as if" was not the right phrase to use; it was a certainty.

Because the moment Xu Qing saw those thread-worms, he not only felt an inexplicable familiarity but also sensed that these thread-worms seemed to be looking back at him at that very instant.

The instant their gazes met, Xu Qing's mind instantly roared. Blood streamed from his seven orifices as he stumbled backward. He vomited blood repeatedly. His body rapidly decayed, and chunks of flesh fell away.

In his eyes, the sky returned to its abstract, painted form. But the entire land he saw appeared distorted for an instant.

Although the land quickly returned to normal, what he had seen in that brief instant caused a tearing pain to surge through Xu Qing's mind once more. His eyes were filled with countless bloodshot veins.

Xu Qing, breathing rapidly, stood on the ground beneath his feet. He could not forget the scene he had just witnessed in that instant: in that scene, the Red Moon star was not composed of earth and stone, but countless red thread-worms!

At that moment, the Red Moon star was like a giant worm-nest. Countless red thread-worms formed the Red Moon, and deep within this Red Moon, there seemed to be a gaze. The gaze was cold, yet in Xu Qing's perception, it felt strangely familiar and benevolent towards him.

As for what it specifically was, as the momentary distortion faded and everything returned to normal, Xu Qing could no longer explore it.

At this moment, he activated his purple crystal. While spitting out blood, he recovered. Just as he managed to achieve a precarious balance, a drastic change occurred in the battle in the sky.

It seemed as if a decision had been made, as if an opportunity had been found. The ancient wooden door where the Moonflame Deity resided reappeared in the sky. Its form was even larger than before, as if it framed the sky, turning the heavens into a door.

At this moment, the sky split open. A towering figure stepped out from within the door. At first glance, the figure appeared human, but on the second glance, it seemed infinitely vast. This inevitably created an illusion, making it impossible to discern its true size.

One could only see deer-like antlers growing from her head, not just one, but countless ones branching out, spreading across the sky like tree branches.

At the very center of the antlers was a gray star, exuding destruction and carrying death.

As for her head, it was impossible to discern gender. One could only see a massive gray skull with a hole in it, emitting gray flames. Where the mouth should be, there was a twisted, fractured bone crevice. Her body had human-like hands, stained with dripping blood, as if wearing a pair of red gloves.

Gray fur covered her entire body. It swayed and draped over her like clothing. Only her abdomen was exposed, which was a black hole shimmering with starlight, as if an entire universe existed within it.

This was the Moonflame Deity.

Just like the Crimson Mother, the moment her form appeared in the eyes of Xu Qing and the others, their minds automatically altered their perception of her. No longer her ugly appearance, but transforming into a middle-aged woman in a gray robe.

This woman had high cheekbones. Her eyes were cold, and she had a sharp, harsh expression. Yet, it had to be said that her appearance was very distinctive. Perhaps in some people's eyes, she wasn't stunningly beautiful, but in others' eyes, she might possess a more intriguing allure.

Upon her appearance, the Moonflame Deity took a single step and walked directly into the abstract painting in the sky. The moment she merged with it, this abstract painting also abruptly changed.

The swirling colors gained a new hue: gray. It intertwined with white and red. As they rapidly rotated together within the painting, a third figure also appeared.

"My ex-wife is a glutton; I guessed she would come. And sure enough, I was right!" The Captain took a few steps back and crouched beside Xu Qing. He looked at the painting in the sky and spoke triumphantly.

"So, what do you think, kid? My ex-wife is pretty, right?"

Xu Qing glanced at the painting, then looked at the Captain, saying nothing. The Prince and others beside them remained serious, their attention constantly on the main battlefield, paying no heed. Only Old Eight, who had been resurrected by Fifth Princess's blessing within the River of Time and was now within Princess Mingmei's River, couldn't help but speak despite his weakness.

"We're not blind; we can see what that old monster looks like. I never realized before, kid, you have such heavy taste."

"You can actually accept something like that."

"But, I'm very curious, did you make that hole in her stomach?"

Old Eight's sharp tongue was never dulled by injuries. His words, once spoken, reached the Captain's ears, and the Captain's face twitched.

The Captain looked at Old Eight, thoughtful, and nodded. "It was me."

"So it really was you who did it. No wonder she hated you so much before. She didn't even look at you when she just arrived. Whisper, did you do anything else to wrong her?"

"Tell me, if we send you over, will your ex-wife be happier and more motivated to fight?" As Old Eight spoke, Fifth Princess and Princess Mingmei turned their gazes to the Captain, as if considering it.

The Captain was alarmed and quickly said, "No, no, I was just joking! The Moonflame Deity isn't my ex-wife; I just said it on a whim."

To convince Old Eight and the others, the Captain quickly took out a peach and bit into it.

"I like peaches; my Taotao is still waiting for me in Fenghai County." Old Eight put on a suspicious expression. The Prince beside him glanced over the Captain.

"Old Eight's suggestion is worth considering!"

The Captain took a breath. Just as he was about to continue explaining, Old Nine suddenly spoke. The moment his words sounded, the sky's color changed, as if an extra layer of curtain had draped over it.

On that curtain, a totem appeared. Unlike the previous darkness, this totem emitted a gentle light. It depicted a blue sky and a vast sea, with countless fish and shrimp flying in the sky above the sea, and whales drifting by; it was very beautiful.

Yet, within the sea, countless birds swam, forming a magnificent sight.

Between the sea and the sky, a divine statue sat cross-legged.

This statue was that of a massive mud fox. It wore a red robe and emitted a golden light that illuminated the sea, spread across the sky, and radiated sanctity.

It was as if it was the ruler of the world, inspiring reverence in all who gazed upon it.

At this moment, her eyelashes fluttered. She slowly opened her eyes, rose, and swayed gracefully, exuding endless grace and charm. She stepped out from the totem, one graceful step at a time.

The moment she stepped out, her appearance changed, becoming a graceful, slender figure. A red robe of thin gauze covered her fair and delicate body, revealing her prominent breasts, long, straight legs, and the swaying tail she possessed as she walked. Everything about her was overflowing with charm and allure.

Especially her slender legs, slightly parted, appearing and disappearing, caused a tantalizing itch in one's heart, coupled with her captivating allure.

Her waist-to-hip curve, combined with her naturally enchanting demeanor, left an extremely deep impression on anyone who saw it.

This was a sight to behold. A woman exuding enchanting allure from her very bones, with alluring, prominent breasts, seemed to constantly entice and stir the nerves of men.

At this moment, she gracefully stepped out of the totem, walked into the Moon Palace, and appeared between heaven and earth, before Xu Qing and many others. Her beautiful eyes swept around, surprisingly not looking at the divine battle first, but landing on Xu Qing, and she let out a bewitching chuckle.

"Little brother, ever since you left, there have only been two things left in my life: missing you and waiting for you."

"Why didn't you call me over sooner? I've been waiting all this time."

As she spoke, this stunning woman's eyes held a playful smile. Her charm rippled, and her lips curved slightly upward, as if inviting a kiss.

Xu Qing remained silent.

A ripple stirred in the Captain's heart. He glanced at the gray-robed woman in the totem, then at the seductive woman whose eyes were solely on Xu Qing. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

The Prince and the others all looked towards the Captain at this moment. Especially Old Eight, who sighed audibly.

"The difference is quite significant."