Chapter 867: Encountering a Fierce Fiend

Three days passed.

During this period, the storm instigated by Xu Qing had thoroughly spread throughout the Mountain and Sea Domain. Unless they were reclusive individuals or those disconnected from the outside world, almost everyone had heard about the events involving Xu Qing and Ji Dongzi.

Ji Dongzi was widely recognized by all clans of the Blazing Moon Heavenly Race as the second greatest prodigy of his generation. All cultivators of Blazing Moon understood his combat prowess and formidable nature, either directly or indirectly. Therefore, upon learning that Xu Qing had dared to challenge Ji Dongzi in such a manner, most cultivators actually held little hope for Xu Qing. Even though Xu Qing's appearance this time was exceptionally forceful, it still failed to alter their judgment. After all, two months prior, Ji Dongzi had spread news searching for Xu Qing, then declared Xu Qing dead. Although Xu Qing ultimately survived, his disappearance during that period was enough to indicate the outcome of their battle. What difference could two months make now?

However, what struck people as odd was that Ji Dongzi had released no information regarding Xu Qing's challenge, nor had he appeared. Even among the lesser-known cultivators of Blazing Moon, few knew Ji Dongzi's whereabouts. This was quite intriguing and led to much speculation.

Meanwhile, the cultivators from the two clans whom Xu Qing had captured, while weakly screaming, harbored countless suspicions in their hearts. They had done their best over the past few days, sending messages to every possible recipient. Yet, not only had Ji Dongzi not arrived, but none of the people they messaged had appeared either. After all, no one was foolish enough to risk their lives to rescue them at such a moment, unless they were confident of success.

As the midday sun blazed overhead, the Mountain and Sea Domain experienced its most intense sunlight of the day. Yang energy surged, and all dark, grotesque creatures were typically in repose during this hour. The intense sunlight illuminated everything, making the world bright. Xu Qing, who had been moving through the air, paused and gazed towards the horizon. As he gazed, the hundred-plus cultivators behind him, who had been continuously screaming, immediately fell silent. One by one, they looked on with a mixture of tension and anticipation.

In their sight, four earth-shattering blazing arcs tore through the sky, as if ripping open the heavens, rushing rapidly towards their location. Within each of these four streaks of light was a cultivator of extraordinary bearing and formidable cultivation. Three of them belonged to the Si'e Clan, their expressions dark and filled with killing intent. The last one was from the Baize Clan. His physique was as brawny as a small mountain, exuding potent vital energy, and his heartbeat rumbled like muffled thunder, giving off an unmatchable aura.

Even more astonishing was that all four of them possessed impressive mounts. The Baize clan member's mount was a ferocious, winged canine beast, capable of riding the clouds and mist. The three Si'e clan members' mounts were distinct: one was a lion-headed, wolf-bodied beast emitting soul-devouring energy; another was a tortoise-shelled, elephant-shaped creature, conveying immense power. The last one was, surprisingly, a hideous specter, completely black, indistinct in form, and incredibly eerie. These four mounts greatly augmented their power, their collective aura impacting the sky, rendering the firmament a churning, ink-like black mist that spread towards them.

The moment they clearly saw them, the hundred-plus cultivators bound by soul threads behind Xu Qing immediately became excited. They had, of course, seen the prodigies of their own clans before. The three Si'e cultivators were precisely the strongest prodigies of their clan in the second stage of this grand hunt. Despite only possessing cultivation at the second stage of Void Return, they wielded combat power comparable to the fourth stage. While they couldn't compare to an unparalleled figure like Ji Dongzi, they were still considered heaven's chosen in many clans. As for the brawny young man from the Baize Clan, his physical body was also comparable to the fourth stage of Void Return, and his status was even more noble: he was the second son of the Baize Clan Chief!

Upon receiving their clansmen's pleas for help and understanding the storm Xu Qing had caused, these four chose to unite and arrived at this moment. Their delayed appearance clearly indicated that this time, they were quite confident. Thus, the moment they appeared, these four showed no hesitation. Without uttering a single word, they immediately chose to attack Xu Qing.

The fastest was the young master of the Baize Clan. The brawny youth's expression was fierce, and the vital energy emanating from his body possessed a suppressing quality. The combined pressure of his aura and vital energy could shake one's spirit. The moment he approached, he formed hand seals and powerfully waved his arms. Immediately, the void around Xu Qing crackled, forming countless rifts, as if it, along with him, were about to be torn apart. The power of rules and traces of laws, at this moment, all collapsed and then reassembled into the Dao belonging to that Baize cultivator. Immediately afterward, the third eye in his brow angrily opened, emitting a red glow that enveloped his entire body, and a massive blood-colored giant materialized behind him. This giant wielded two shocking colossal hammers, causing the heavens and earth to change color and winds to surge, as it fiercely smashed towards Xu Qing. At the same time, the Baize cultivator's mount, while riding the clouds and mist, opened its massive mouth with ferocity and lunged to devour Xu Qing.

In the distance, one of the three Si'e clan cultivators, who was controlling the specter, flickered and instantly appeared behind Xu Qing, blocking any potential escape routes. He formed hand seals and chanted incantations. Innumerable phantoms surged from his body, forming a sea of souls that not only sealed Xu Qing's retreat but also encircled him, creating a complete seal.

As for the other two Si'e cultivators, one appeared above Xu Qing, and the other below. The cultivator above did not unleash any divine abilities. Instead, he took out a red candle, lit it, and began to speak. Instantly, Xu Qing's figure appeared within the burning wick. Meanwhile, the Si'e cultivator below Xu Qing sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, and his entire body began to rot. He unleashed a mysterious curse, which formed a gray light—a pollution of the soul—that abruptly erupted towards Xu Qing.

At this moment, the attacks from these four were overwhelming. The Baize cultivator engaged directly; one Si'e cultivator sealed all directions to prevent Xu Qing's escape; another two Si'e cultivators chose to suppress Xu Qing's physical body with specialized treasures, making it difficult for him to struggle; and the third Si'e cultivator unleashed a curse as a killing blow, contaminating Xu Qing's soul. Furthermore, the mounts of the three Si'e cultivators also charged out, heading directly for Xu Qing.

At the same time, within the swirling clouds on the distant horizon, another figure appeared, seemingly stable yet ethereal, calmly striding towards their location. While this person's aura was not as strong as Ji Dongzi's, it seemed not to be too far off. However, the swirling clouds obscured their exact appearance, but their imposing aura was extremely distinct. Yet, for some unknown reason, this mysterious cultivator's figure, while striding, abruptly halted mid-stride, as if unable to put their foot down! Their indistinct expression revealed shock and terror, and their aura of power also dissipated.

As they paused, gray mist emerged in Xu Qing's eyes. The next instant, a wave of gray mist erupted from his body, instantly spreading outwards, covering a thousand zhang radius in a flash, enveloping the hundred-plus cultivators behind him and the four rescuers. The incoming colossal hammers were directly absorbed by the gray mist, and the surrounding seals met the same fate. However, the greatest change occurred with the four mounts. Their bodies trembled, and they instantly turned against their masters, lunging with unprecedented ferocity.

Then, Xu Qing, with a calm expression, looked up. As his gaze met that of the Si'e clan cultivator holding the red candle, the candle, which had been burning slowly, rapidly changed. As if immensely stimulated, it flared up violently in an instant. The entire process took only two breaths. The candle burned out!

The moment it extinguished, the Si'e clan cultivator was about to retreat, but it was too late. Xu Qing's figure appeared before him. His raised right hand seized the cultivator's neck. Amidst piteous wails, countless gray mists surged wildly into the Si'e cultivator's body through his seven orifices and all his pores. His body trembled, his screams grew more agonizing, his cultivation was expelled, and his body decayed until he was utterly annihilated, both body and soul.

Xu Qing released his grip, and his body vanished. When he reappeared, he was standing before the Si'e clan cultivator who had cast the sealing spell. This cultivator was retreating, his expression terrified. He sensed that the power Xu Qing was now displaying was certainly not that of the Void Return stage. He believed it was infinitely close to the Spirit Incarnation stage! This unexpected turn of events instantly filled his heart with extreme terror. He urgently cried out, "Brother Tian Mo, you—" However, his lifespan was insufficient to allow him to finish his words. The next moment, his body exploded, shattering into pieces, and countless soul threads flew out from within.

Xu Qing's figure departed, moving towards the last Si'e clan cultivator below. This cultivator trembled, wanting to escape, but the gray mist exerted a karmic pull, preventing him from fleeing. Seeing Xu Qing approach, his anxious expression turned frantic, and he rapidly unleashed numerous curses. "Death, death, death!" Curse after curse emanated from his body, at the cost of his physique continuously withering and dissolving. However, these curses, upon entering Xu Qing's body, were like stones dropped into the sea, stirring not a single ripple and offering no resistance at all. Until the next moment, Xu Qing calmly arrived before this Si'e clan cultivator. Amidst the cultivator's bitter despair, Xu Qing harvested everything.

The Baize young master took a step back. Xu Qing's figure directly appeared in front of the blood-colored giant conjured by the Baize cultivator, ignoring the descending colossal hammers as he walked past and appeared before the Baize young master, whose expression drastically changed. The Baize young master's heart pounded. He was utterly horrified. The appearance of the gray mist had shocked him and disrupted all their plans, and the expected ally hadn't even shown up. A prodigy had died so easily; the vast disparity between them almost made him collapse.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!!" he cursed. "Didn't they say he was being hunted by Ji Dongzi after their battle? The power this man is displaying now is even more terrifying than Ji Dongzi's! And this gray mist... this is the Mist of Nine Li! How can he release it? Is the Nine Li Cataclysm related to him?!"

As countless thoughts exploded uncontrollably in his mind, Xu Qing walked past him, and all the gray mist surged into the Baize cultivator's body. Amidst agonizing wails, the Baize young master was utterly annihilated, body and soul.

As the gray mist vanished, so too did the hundred-plus cultivators bound by soul threads. They had lost all value and perished entirely. The area previously covered by the mist now only had Xu Qing, bathed in the intense sunlight. He gazed at the distant clouds and spoke calmly.

"Tian Mozi."

The clouds trembled and quickly dissipated, and a young cultivator from the Blazing Moon main clan immediately stepped out. It was Tian Mozi, a cultivator at the third stage of Void Return who possessed combat power equivalent to the Grand Perfection of Void Return. He was the fourth in sequence among this generation of the Blazing Moon main clan, and the foremost prodigy of this generation within the Si Quan Nation under the Starflame God. He had once fought against and defeated Tuo Shishan, demonstrating his extraordinary combat prowess.

But now, his expression was utterly respectful as he clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Xu Qing. "Tian Mozi respectfully greets Brother Xu!"

"Today, Tian Mo has come specifically to present Brother Xu with two grand gifts. First, the demise of these four individuals, to quell Brother Xu's anger. Second, regarding Ji Dongzi's whereabouts, my diligent investigation has already located him for Brother Xu." As he spoke, Tian Mozi respectfully handed over a newly crafted jade slip.