Chapter 872: Last One

The sky shimmered gold, rippling with layers of mist. It spread in all directions, lingering persistently. From afar, these ripples resembled fish scales, as if a colossal fish, existing between reality and illusion, used the sky as its water and the void as its boundary, slowly moving through nothingness. This sight was profoundly awe-inspiring. In front of this ethereal leviathan, a figure sat cross-legged, long hair fluttering, exuding an ancient aura that captured all attention in this world.

Xu Qing's eyes were closed; he remained motionless. His body, along with the vague form of the half-manifested Ancestral Spirit, gradually merged into the sky, seemingly drifting away as the colossal fish moved.

The land was silent, yet the minds of all cultivators present churned violently, filled with boundless astonishment. They had witnessed the battle firsthand, seen the downfall of Ji Dongzi, the Second Sequence of the Yan Yue Xuan Tian Clan! An uncontrollable tremor spread through their bodies. From the moment Xu Qing appeared, when the spectral steeds knelt and the rainforest automatically parted, they had known Xu Qing's power. Yet, Ji Dongzi, in their established perception, was also a formidable powerhouse. However, in this battle with Xu Qing, Ji Dongzi's every method proved utterly ineffective from beginning to end. He was continuously suppressed, even creating the illusion that Ji Dongzi had become weaker than before.

But an illusion, after all, was just an illusion. Ji Dongzi had not weakened in the slightest. The reason for this perception was simply that Xu Qing was too powerful. Ji Dongzi's defeat alone, while surprising, wouldn't have caused such profound internal commotion. What truly left their minds utterly stunned was the dissipating grey mist around Xu Qing, and the indistinct figure that was now beginning to fade!

This was the true source of the tumultuous waves in their hearts. From the grey mist, they recognized the power of Jiu Li. As for the figure, they did not recognize it, yet a profound sense of familiarity, like a primal source, resonated within their bloodlines.

As this intense feeling permeated the air, Xu Qing, still sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes. The moment they opened, the shamanic mark on his brow suddenly shone, and the ancient aura emanating from the half-manifested Ancestral Spirit behind him grew even stronger. An instinctive urge to worship, arising from the blood and souls of everyone present, made the cultivators' bodies tremble. Fan Shishuang felt it, as did Tian Mozi. The spectral steeds, already prostrate, let out mournful wails like weeping. Their cries echoed, spreading in all directions, filling the heavens and earth with an unspoken sorrow that colored everyone's emotions, causing a deep sense of sadness to rise within them as they gazed at the figure.

It was a sorrow stemming from the very soul and bloodline. Under this influence, some cultivators on the ground immediately knelt, prostrating themselves before Xu Qing and the figure behind him in the sky. Tian Mozi did the same, and others followed suit. Lastly, even Fan Shishuang, overwhelmed by an uncontrollable tremor in his heart, lowered his head in worship and awe. In front of Xu Qing, the three ancient spectral steeds, which had been radiating spiritual fluctuations, also reappeared. Gone was their former scrutiny; they bowed their heads towards Xu Qing.

Xu Qing gazed at everything, finally understanding why the legends of Jiu Li claimed that those who possessed Jiu Li would be worshipped by all clans of the Yan Yue Xuan Tian. It was because Jiu Li represented the source of their bloodline.

"Unfortunately, only half has merged," Xu Qing murmured to himself, sensing his fifth spiritual repository. In his fifth repository, the land forged from his flesh and blood now held ninety-five divine tablets buried within it, enveloped by flesh and blood, permeated by grey mist, and undergoing corrosion. In the air within this shamanic repository, above the nine mountains, where there was once only emptiness, now stood a colossal entity: the half-manifested Ancestral Spirit. It floated cross-legged, radiating an earth-shattering, boundless aura, and remarkably, showed signs of life, actually breathing. With each inhale, the fifth heavenly repository seemed to contract. Golden wisps of smoke emanated from the ninety-five divine tablets buried in the flesh-and-blood earth, ascending directly into the sky to be swallowed by the spirit. They served as nourishment, constantly facilitating the integration within the shamanic repository. As the Ancestral Spirit exhaled, the shamanic repository vibrated intensely, showing signs of outward expansion. All of this formed a continuous cycle. With the arrival of the divine tablets and the emergence of the Ancestral Spirit, the fifth shamanic repository seemed to have come alive!

Xu Qing's gaze swept over everything, finally resting on the half-manifested Ancestral Spirit, a sense of anticipation rising in his heart. After a long moment, he withdrew his gaze and stood up amidst the heavens and earth, surrounded by the worship from all directions. The moment he stood, a ripple of fluctuations spread from afar, accompanied by faint sensations of teleportation. These fluctuations and the sensation of teleportation originated from the entire Mountain Sea Domain. It was a sign that the second phase was about to conclude.

Xu Qing's expression shifted. After a moment's thought, he headed towards the distant horizon. His figure disappeared completely into the distance. The rainforest on the ground recovered, and the spectral steeds ceased their wailing, returning to their positions within. As for the cultivators, they emerged one by one, their faces pale, internal tremors still echoing. With a mix of complexity and shock, they did not linger, rushing to depart. The recent fluctuations from the Mountain Sea Domain had made them realize that the second phase of the Yan Yue Xuan Tian Clan's great hunt was nearing its end.

Tian Mozi and Fan Shishuang were the last to leave. The two exchanged glances. Tian Mozi calmly raised a hand, then walked away with his hands clasped behind his back. In the end, only Fan Shishuang remained, standing alone in mid-air.

"Jiu Li... manifesting..."

"Never in all of history..."

After a long moment, Fan Shishuang took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his eyes and heart, then turned and departed.

Time slowly passed. With two days remaining until the end of the second phase, Xu Qing appeared in an unfamiliar area. This was the Mountain Chiman Forest, the designated meeting place for Xu Qing and the Captain. Standing in mid-air, Xu Qing's gaze fell upon the forest ahead. He sensed the Captain's aura but couldn't detect his presence, and even his message through the jade slip received no reply.

"There are traces of a battle!" Xu Qing mused, stepping into the forest. As he walked, all vegetation before him bent and parted, actively clearing a path. Xu Qing's expression remained calm as he proceeded. After a while, he paused, looking at a nearby tree that emanated a chilling aura, bearing the remnants of an icy attack.

"Senior Brother's cold aura," Xu Qing identified. He approached, stared for a moment, then simply raised his hand and pressed it onto the tree. The Jiu Li aura within him burst forth, accompanied by his divine sense, enveloping the surroundings.

"Open your memories."

The next instant, the memories of all the plants and trees in the Mountain Chiman Forest transformed into countless threads, weaving together to form a network of memories. After intertwining and overlapping, images appeared in Xu Qing's mind. In these images, he saw the Captain's rushing figure, and the person pursuing him from behind. He also saw their entanglement within the Mountain Chiman Forest, and some of their respective techniques. Finally, the Captain departed, leaving the Mountain Chiman Forest, while the pursuing cultivator, radiating fierce killing intent and persistence, chased after him.

Xu Qing opened his eyes, his heart calm. He wasn't particularly worried about the Captain. Although he recognized the pursuer as Yan Xuanzi, one of the Four Heavenly Talents of the Yan Yue First Sequence.

However...

"Senior Brother tangled with this person for so long here and still isn't dead. I suppose he's not going to die."

"And judging by Yan Xuanzi's look of intense hatred towards Senior Brother, he must have suffered a significant loss."

Xu Qing pondered, calculating the time. He knew the end of this phase was approaching. Especially in the past few days, he had sensed that the array formation covering the entire Mountain Sea Domain was showing signs of activation, with fluctuations spreading.

"Just two more days..." Xu Qing murmured. Based on his understanding of this second phase before coming here, he knew that once teleportation activated, all participants would be instantly transported back to the Divine Mountain.

"If the Captain could find a way to be teleported in, he can find a way to be teleported out. So, he'll be fine."

Xu Qing felt relieved. However, considering his friendship with the Captain, Xu Qing thought he might as well look for him during these two days. So, he stepped into mid-air and began searching forward. Whenever the Captain's aura traces disappeared, he would expand his divine sense, using the Jiu Li aura to perceive the rainforest's memories and find a new direction before continuing. Unfortunately, the remaining time was limited. Xu Qing searched for two days but still couldn't find any trace.

Over these two days, the teleportation fluctuations from the Mountain Sea Domain became increasingly frequent. Once, Xu Qing even saw a speeding Yan Yue cultivator in the distance instantly vanish, teleported away.

"It's beginning..." Xu Qing paused, sensing the Mountain Sea Domain. He found a mountain peak, sat cross-legged upon it, and waited for the teleportation. As time gradually passed, rumbling sounds echoed throughout the heavens and earth of the Mountain Sea Domain, deafening. Like the roar of a deity, they spread in all directions. Waves of teleportation also diffused invisibly within the Mountain Sea Domain, like surging tides sweeping across the world. Initially, cultivators who had not obtained mounts were teleported away, followed by others based on the strength of their mounts. The teleportation continued in succession. Thus, if one could stand at a vantage point overlooking the entire Mountain Sea Domain, they would see streams of cultivators' figures shimmering under the great waves of teleportation, their teleportation light disappearing one after another.

However, there was one exception. No matter how the waves of teleportation swept, this single figure remained. As all other participants in the Mountain Sea Domain continuously vanished, this figure remained completely unaffected. Several hours passed, and eventually, only this one person remained in the entire Mountain Sea Domain, untransported. Xu Qing's brow furrowed. He looked up at the sky. The heavens and earth thundered. Because he was the only one left in the vast Mountain Sea Domain, all teleportation fluctuations converged and erupted in his vicinity. In the sky, the continuous convergence of these teleportation waves even formed a colossal, black hole-like vortex. It rotated with deafening roars, but no matter how intense it became, the essence of teleportation never formed on Xu Qing, thus preventing him from being transported out.

This phenomenon surprised Xu Qing. "If I can't be teleported, then I'll just walk in myself!" Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, rose from his cross-legged position, and took a step towards the vortex in the sky.