Chapter 966: Love's Little Spark

The phrase “earth-shattering” is a description.

The concept of “heaven” holds different meanings for different individuals. For the Empress, “heaven” in her heart was humanity itself. She was willing to bear all burdens for them, to uplift her entire race and guide them against the current in an era that did not favor human destiny.

As for Xu Qing, his “heaven” consisted of the people who had entered his heart throughout his journey. This included Captain Lei, Master Bai, his Master, Er Niu, Zi Xuan, Ling’er, and many others. It also encompassed the external elements that emerged because of these individuals, such as Fenghai County, the Seven Blood Eyes sect, and Sheng Lan City. These were the colors of his world, and a crucial component of his humanity. Like an anchor, they ensured his divine nature always served his humanity, preventing him from straying. Especially after his recent resurrection, with his body reformed from the flesh and blood of the “Remnant Face,” his inner self naturally began to deify. Thus, the essence of his humanity became even more critical.

However, for Huang Yan, his “heaven” was an accidental, breathtaking glance he caught when he proudly soared across the sky years ago. The sight of that figure wielding a great sword in the Forbidden Sea became his entire world, his everything, from that moment on. It made him willing to descend with a clone, disregarding his status and all his pursuits. Despite the convoluted journey, he remained steadfast. His pride could humble itself for that person, and his strength could soften because of them. Throughout his life, he never succumbed to the popular choice of sacrificing the Remnant Face, nor did he concern himself with the life and death of ordinary beings. As the Southern Phoenix, he could always hold his head high. Only before that person was he willing to bow. Because this was the first time he, as the last remaining Phoenix in the world, had ever felt true emotion, and it would be the only time in his life.

Therefore, as soon as Huang Yan finished speaking, Xu Qing understood the reason. His Senior Sister was furious!

“No, we must leave immediately.”

Huang Yan took a deep breath, his body shifted, and he instantly transformed into the Infernal Phoenix. The Forbidden Sea grew dark. Above, his colossal form blotted out the sky, and a terrifying aura instantly reached its zenith. Wherever he passed, the world shifted hues; with each flap of his wings, winds howled and clouds gathered. The majesty of the Southern Phoenix Lord permeated the Forbidden Sea at that moment. Having witnessed much of the love story between Huang Yan and Second Senior Sister, Xu Qing now stepped into the firmament, following closely behind. Accompanied by endless lightning, their figures vanished instantly into the horizon. Their destination was an island in the Forbidden Sea, some distance away.

Huang Yan's voice echoed in Xu Qing's mind as they sped along. “Our Seven Blood Eyes holds a grand competition every few decades. The one at Mermaid Island, which both you and I participated in, was one such event. This current competition is already underway, and Senior Sister is overseeing it!”

“The trial grounds are located at the Sea Turtle Clan!”

“Just now, Senior Sister sent me a message: the Sea Turtle Clan summoned their deity, a divine creature!”

A divine creature, in the eyes of powerful individuals, was hardly a major issue; Xu Qing himself had destroyed seven or eight such beings in the past few months. If Huang Yan had intervened, he could likely have obliterated it in a single breath. But provoking Senior Sister's wrath made it an entirely different matter. Xu Qing's expression grew serious. He nodded and pressed forward at full speed.

“Then let's pick up the pace even more…”

Hearing Xu Qing's words, Huang Yan called out, “Good brother!” and accelerated even further.

As they raced at full speed, divine energy surged within Xu Qing, spreading throughout his body, causing him to glow with a golden radiance. This golden light intertwined with the silver sheen emanating from his body, making him appear like a god or demon. All of this was, naturally, a transformation brought about by the body formed from the flesh and blood of the Remnant Face. Within his body, the Remnant Face's flesh and blood coexisted with immortal silver; the former shaped his physical form, while the latter served as the medium for integrating the Remnant Face's blood. As for the Xuan Yang Immortal Light, it would gradually refine the immortal silver during the process of accelerating the fusion of his soul and body. The moment all immortal silver vanished from Xu Qing's body would mark the complete unification of his body and soul.

The earth-shattering changes brought by the physical body forged from the Remnant Face's flesh and blood were not limited to enhanced physical strength; they also had a profound impact on other aspects of Xu Qing. Now, the Void Soil within him had become entirely golden. Imprinted upon that golden Void Soil were four dazzling divine talismans. One was his innate destiny, and the other three were divine authorities. His innate destiny was formed from the Witch Dao, the Emperor Dao, and all the cultivation techniques Xu Qing had practiced, predominantly rooted in the Alien Immortal Flow, with all its traces discernible within. It encircled the entire boundary of the Void Soil, connecting end-to-end to form a colossal, astonishing ring. It delineated the boundaries of the Void City, serving as the mark of the Alien Immortal. The three divine authorities, meanwhile, represented the Purple Moon, Misfortune, and the Divine Ancestor, respectively.

Compared to Xu Qing's previous state, these aspects remained largely unchanged. The true difference lay in the faint traces of divine authority on the Void Soil, which were still shallow because they had not yet been fully comprehended or genuinely possessed. Originally, there were one hundred. But now… their number had exploded to over a thousand! Xu Qing had once perceived that if he could fully comprehend all one hundred divine authorities, allowing each to shine brightly, he would then reach the pinnacle of the Return to Void realm. Now, if Xu Qing's innate destiny mark delineated the boundaries of his Void Soil, then the explosion of thousands of faint marks brought by his Remnant Face body had raised the ultimate limit of his cultivation. He could feel that once all thousand divine authorities ignited, he would transcend the Return to Void realm and enter the Incubation of God — an unprecedented level of this realm. However, with this came an increased difficulty in cultivation.

Fortunately, these weren't the only changes. Within Xu Qing's body, the concept of spiritual energy no longer existed. Spiritual energy was clearly inferior in its essence and was not permitted within the body forged from the Remnant Face's flesh and blood. Instead, his body was filled with supremely pure divine source power, turning not only his Void Soil golden but also transforming his Sea of Consciousness into a golden divine sea. These were enhancements to his potential.

As for his defenses, they were even more formidable. Because his physical body was excessively powerful and not yet fully merged with his soul, it would suppress Xu Qing's spirit. Thus, the Seventh Master had left two seals before entering seclusion: one, the Sovereign Seal, and the other, the Quasi-Immortal Seal. As Xu Qing cultivated the Xuan Yang Immortal Light and as his soul merged with his body, these two seals would gradually unlock. Ultimately, once fully unbound, the power of his physical body would rival that of a true god—in other words, a Xia Immortal.

Before his seclusion, the Seventh Master had informed Xu Qing that the Remnant Face Desolation was a failed attempt to achieve godhood, and that it was at the peak of a Divine Venerable's power. If one of its arms were to exist independently, it would possess the might of a Divine Venerable. And a single finger would wield the power of a Divine Lord! The flesh and blood that composed Xu Qing's body, compared to the vast and boundless Remnant Face, was but a minuscule portion. Hence, it could exhibit the power of a true god, a Xia Immortal. Though the two seals on his physical body were necessarily imprinted to prevent his soul from being suppressed by the Remnant Face's flesh and blood, even in their current unsealed state, Xu Qing's physical power remained extraordinarily terrifying. Below the level of a Sovereign, his physical body could not be harmed in the slightest. Xu Qing had confirmed this fact through repeated battles with divine creatures over the past few months. His physical body's defenses were astonishingly robust. For instance, when the Divine River Dragon previously swept its tail, Xu Qing stood unyielding like a mountain, yet the dragon's tail was left a bloody mess, its sharp spines shattered by the recoil.

As for his cultivation level, since it was merely a physical transformation, it wouldn't significantly improve as a result. However, because the flesh and blood of this body were so exceptionally strong, its influence permeated his entire being, naturally leading to a vast increase in his combat power compared to before. Through these months of intense training, Xu Qing had affirmed the explosive potential of his combat power. He could now slay those in the fourth stage of the Incubation of God realm. As for the fifth stage of Incubation of God and higher realms, Xu Qing's cultivation was insufficient to contend with them. However, they also couldn't harm him. Therefore, Xu Qing clearly understood that currently, his top priorities were to refine divine authorities to increase his destructive power, and simultaneously cultivate the Xuan Yang Immortal Light to hasten the removal of his physical body's seals.

“I need combat, I need comprehension, I need experiences on the brink of life and death!” Xu Qing murmured to himself.

Thus, half an incense stick of time passed. As Xu Qing and Huang Yan raced, the distant Sea Turtle Island was now within immediate reach. At this point, Huang Yan, after sensing his surroundings and confirming his Senior Sister was unharmed, shifted his body, transforming from his Southern Phoenix form back into his chubby appearance. He then spoke to Xu Qing.

“By the way,” he said, “this trial location is connected to Zhu Zhao! It's one of Zhu Zhao's secret strongholds in the Forbidden Sea. After the Seven Blood Eyes discovered it, this trial was set up with the purpose of eradication!”

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's expression remained calm. Having undergone a soul self-detonation and resurrection, he was now able to completely conceal his emotions regarding Zhu Zhao and Zi Qing. This was true not only for his outward demeanor but also within his heart. Like the deep sea, no ripples disturbed its surface. Only at the moment of eruption would a sky-shattering killing intent surge forth. This was a personality trait Xu Qing had possessed since childhood, but Zi Qing had once been an exception to it. Until now, that exception had been eradicated. Xu Qing's state of mind had returned to its original calm.

He calmly regarded Huang Yan, who had clearly returned from his Infernal Phoenix form deliberately. Huang Yan coughed and offered an explanation. “Senior Sister doesn't like my 'big bird' form,” he said. “She prefers my current handsome and dashing appearance!” As he spoke, Huang Yan patted his belly, and the flesh on his body jiggled. Xu Qing smiled, then withdrew his gaze and looked into the distance.

The boundlessness of the sea was, after all, relative. For Xu Qing and Huang Yan at that moment, this distance was such that they could perceive everything from where they stood. In their perception, the wailing sound of Qiang flutes continuously echoed across the starfish-shaped Sea Turtle Island. Within it, countless disciples of the Seven Blood Eyes were undergoing their trials. Some chose slaughter, others sought treasures; their choices varied according to their individual personalities. Overall, however, it still retained the Seventh Peak's style, with most disciples prioritizing self-concealment to acquire good fortune, just as Xu Qing had done during his trial on Mermaid Island years ago. Watching them, memories surfaced in Xu Qing's mind.

Further out in the Forbidden Sea, in sync with the continuous flute music echoing from Sea Turtle Island, the waves now churned and swelled, sweeping in all directions like a tsunami. Wave after towering wave, like an incoming tide, advanced toward Sea Turtle Island. Within those waves, a colossal presence appeared to be approaching. As it drew nearer, a terrifying aura violently spread, engulfing Sea Turtle Island and distorting the sky. A rumbling vortex appeared in the firmament, threatening the safety of the Seven Blood Eyes disciples on the island. And in front of the surging waves, a massive entity, distinct from the Seventh Master's great wing, stood firm. Its form resembled a colossal, world-shaking greatsword. This perfectly aligned with Second Senior Sister's aesthetic.

Second Senior Sister, heroic and valiant in her armor, stood before the great wing, observing the entity within the waves with a cold gaze. “Get out!”

Almost the instant Second Senior Sister's voice rang out, thousands of red lights appeared within the massive waves before her, resembling crimson eyes through the watery haze. At the same moment, a soul-shattering shriek erupted from within, reverberating in all directions. The island trembled from the shock, the sea churned even more violently, and the entity within the waves was finally revealed. It was a tattered black cloth spread across the surface of the sea. It spanned dozens of miles. Pitch black, it resembled the Forbidden Sea itself, and as it undulated with the waves, it appeared, at first glance, to be an inherent part of it. Only now, with the appearance of thousands of red lights, was it differentiated from the Forbidden Sea. These “lights” were, in fact, crimson lanterns. They floated atop the tattered cloth, their light spreading in all directions and rapidly bathing the fabric in a scarlet hue. This also revealed some faint patterns on its surface. Those patterns resembled tree bark, and even more bizarrely, faint starlight seemed to gleam within them under the scarlet glow. It was exceptionally eerie.

A terrifying aura also permeated the air, causing thick fog to rise out of thin air across the surrounding seas. These dense mists, like countless swaying tentacles, swirled, with some curling towards Sea Turtle Island and others surging directly towards Second Senior Sister. It seemed intent on engulfing everything.

However, the instant the misty tentacles neared Second Senior Sister, an earth-shattering flame erupted from her with a roar. In mid-air, these flames formed the phantom of an Infernal Phoenix. With a single flap of its wings, the sky ignited, the Forbidden Sea burned, and for a moment, heaven and earth were engulfed in fire. This was the protective barrier Huang Yan had left on Second Senior Sister. As the flames swept across, all the mist instantly dissipated, and the approaching tattered cloth halted.

Second Senior Sister's eyes flashed with a cold glint. Her body swayed, and she leaped from the greatsword, a sea of fire swirling around her, as she strode towards the tattered cloth. Just as she was about to step onto it, a chubby figure suddenly materialized before her and embraced her.

“Senior Sister, calm your anger,” Huang Yan said gently, his face full of tenderness. “Don't overexert yourself; let me handle this, let me handle this!” Huang Yan, his face radiating tenderness, spoke cautiously, snapping his fingers as he did so. A faint spark of fire flickered into existence from his fingertips. It was like a beating heart, possessing endless vitality, twinkling with a faint light in the darkness as it drifted towards the tattered cloth. As it descended, a faint hiss emanated, as if the flame were whispering, announcing its presence to the surrounding world. Its numbers increased with the sound, as if drawn by an unseen force, gathering together. The next instant, it emitted astonishingly high temperatures. The sound intensified, like the resounding beat of a battle drum. Roaring and raging, it seemed to transform into a furnace capable of incinerating heaven and earth, poised to consume everything around it.

It landed on the tattered cloth. In an instant, piercing wails and utterly sharp screams surged from the tattered cloth. The crimson lanterns, though flames themselves, were met by a fire of a different will. In the blink of an eye, all the crimson lanterns melted directly into ashes. Wherever the flame passed, the tattered cloth burned, the sky burned, the Forbidden Sea burned, all things burned, and even the void itself… was consumed by fire. So terrifying was this fire that even aberrant matter was incinerated.

A rare sight then unfolded before Xu Qing's eyes. The Forbidden Sea in that area was no longer black. Instead, amidst the intense incineration, it revealed its original azure blue hue from countless years ago. It was as if it had been purified. Under the baptism of fire, all impurities and defilements were incinerated, leaving only the purest essence. This was not the first time Xu Qing had witnessed the Infernal Phoenix in action. He now understood why the Infernal Phoenix could dominate the Southern Phoenix Continent in the Ancient World, a land where deities existed, and be hailed as its Southern Emperor. He bowed to no gods, made no sacrifices. He was the Emperor of the Southern Phoenix Continent. Yet, at this moment, this very Emperor was gently cradling his Second Senior Sister. That spark of fire, to him, was as effortless as exhaling a breath. Indeed, everything else in all directions currently fell outside his perception. All his attention was solely on Second Senior Sister.

Second Senior Sister, held by this Emperor, glared at Huang Yan as if to reprimand him, but upon seeing Xu Qing, who had arrived with Huang Yan, she restrained herself. Huang Yan sighed in relief, about to speak, but the next instant, his eyes suddenly narrowed as he gazed down at the Forbidden Sea. Xu Qing was just about to greet Second Senior Sister when he, too, sensed something, his gaze falling upon the area where the tattered cloth had just been incinerated to ash. The flames there had already extinguished. However, beneath the waves, a palm-sized piece of tattered cloth still persisted, having withstood Huang Yan's terrifying purifying flames. It was now rapidly sinking towards the seabed. Though it was still burning, its ability to persist demonstrated its unusual nature.

“How intriguing!” Huang Yan mused thoughtfully.

Xu Qing, meanwhile, showed a peculiar glint in his eyes, a mix of surprise and confusion. “I only took a quick glance at this object before,” Xu Qing said. “But now, looking at it, it seems somewhat familiar… Second Senior Sister, Second Brother-in-law, I'll go investigate!”

With that, Xu Qing took a step, plunging directly into the Forbidden Sea. His speed instantly surged within the water, and he shot like a sharp blade towards the fleeing tattered cloth. Simultaneously, the Holy Sky Divine Vine emerged from Xu Qing's body, expanding with a flick, then darted away like an arrow from a bowstring, pursuing frantically with eager emotional fluctuations. It was incredibly eager.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes. The reason he felt surprised moments ago was precisely because the Holy Sky Divine Vine within him had emitted such clear fluctuations. What struck him as familiar were the faint patterns on the tattered cloth, which seemed to bear a resemblance to the Holy Sky Divine Vine's skin… With these thoughts, Xu Qing maintained his speed. Guided by the divine vine's lock-on, he followed the trail of the vine-skin-like tattered cloth, drawing ever closer to the seabed.

An incense stick of time later, Xu Qing's speed finally allowed him to catch up. However… the tattered cloth that appeared before Xu Qing's eyes, still afflicted by Huang Yan's persistent flames, had reached its limit of endurance by the time it arrived there. Thus, the palm-sized piece of tattered cloth completely incinerated before Xu Qing's eyes. Only a trace of ash remained, shining with scattered starlight at the bottom of the Forbidden Sea before dissipating.

Gazing at the starlight, Xu Qing materialized at the spot where the tattered cloth had vanished, observing for a moment. “It certainly has the aura of the Holy Sky Divine Vine,” he mused. “Does this mean that the vine also appeared on the Ancient Continent before Feng Lin Tao's arrival?”

As Xu Qing pondered, the Holy Sky Divine Vine beside him, clearly unwilling to give up, whirred around. Moments later, its body suddenly stilled, sharply locked onto a direction, and sped off. Seeing this, Xu Qing immediately followed.

Thus, time flowed by as the man and the vine sped through the depths for several hours, eventually arriving at a hidden area. Here, countless dense ocean trenches snaked across the seafloor. They looked like a multitude of scars. Outside these trenches, the divine vine pulsed with excitement and burrowed into one of the ravines. As silt rose, the divine vine vanished, having fully burrowed in. Xu Qing didn't follow immediately. He paused at the trench's entrance, and using his connection with the divine vine, he sensed it rapidly delving deeper into the chasm. After a while, it entered a hidden, muddy deep pit. And within this deep pit, an object surprisingly lay.

It was a tower. A dilapidated tower. It was entwined by a withered divine vine. It was unknown how many ages it had been buried, for a dense aura of antiquity emanated from it.

Meanwhile, the moment Xu Qing sensed the mysterious, ruined tower within the Forbidden Sea, and while Huang Yan dutifully attended his Second Senior Sister outside the Forbidden Sea… five secluded regions across the Ancient Continent were emitting guiding beacon forces skyward. These five beacons were located in the east, west, south, and north of the Ancient World, each in a distinct territory. What they shared in common was that at each location, three or four cultivators dressed in silver robes sat cross-legged. Though their races differed, their identical attire and similar demeanor were precisely like those of Feng Lin Tao and his two companions from before… they were from the Holy Land. Complex formations had been arrayed where they meditated. As they each performed hand seals, the formations silently hummed, emitting mysterious threads that invisibly connected to the starry sky beyond the Ancient Continent.

In the deep starry sky, starlight twisted as celestial bodies of varying sizes advanced. Some resembled planets, others continents, and some even massive mountain peaks. Their appearances varied, and their number was in the hundreds. These were the Holy Lands. If one possessed eyes that could survey the cosmos, they would see that these Holy Lands were unmistakably moving towards the Ancient Continent. Though these Holy Lands formed a continuous line, the distance between each was vast. They appeared to be moving in different batches. At the forefront now were five. These consisted of two terrifying colossal mountains, one vast continent, and two eerie statues. Terrifying pressure and astonishing auras diffused through the starry sky as they advanced. Wherever they passed, countless meteorites silently disintegrated into dust, then were swept away, transforming into cosmic storms. They drew ever closer to the Ancient Continent.

Within one of the colossal mountain Holy Lands, at its summit, stood an elder in golden Daoist robes. His appearance resembled a human, but his skin was crimson. He was currently gazing in the direction of the Ancient World, muttering hoarsely, “I never thought I would return in my lifetime…”