Chapter 1131: Unmatched Since Leaving the Cave

At the White Emperor's Celestial Palace, Crown Prince Qingzong was in a state of utter disarray. News had arrived from the Nine Provinces World that nine Ancient Gods had been slain, with the killer unknown, and the Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods had vanished without a trace.

This major incident had occurred right after the White Emperor had led his armies away from the Western Heavens. If the White Emperor returned, he would undoubtedly reprimand Qingzong for his incompetence and lack of ability, making the security of his position as Crown Prince uncertain.

"Your Highness," a divine general reported, "news from the Nine Provinces: the Psychic Relocation Bridge connecting the Nine Provinces to the Heavenly Court has been destroyed. Haotian Venerable's disciple, Tu Sikong Xingjun Jing Baichuan, was found dead in Yunluo Celestial Palace..." The general reporting the news hesitated, then added, "None of the accompanying divine beings or devils survived, and Emperor Yunluo's disciple has also vanished..."

"Jing Baichuan is dead?" Crown Prince Qingzong's head nearly exploded. He angrily demanded, "Who can tell me what exactly happened in the Nine Provinces? Why is there such chaos? Where are the Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods?"

The general shook his head. "There's no trace of the Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods. However, the deity guarding the Psychic Relocation Bridge said they saw the Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods enter the bridge and arrive at our White Emperor's Celestial Palace..."

Just then, a divine official hurried forward and reported, "Your Highness, the recent disturbances from the lower realms have been investigated. It appears the Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods came to the White Emperor's Celestial Palace, secretly descended to the lower realms, and were devouring people in the villages there."

"Those three scoundrels, those old fools with no sense of priority!" Crown Prince Qingzong flew into a rage, slamming his hand on the table. He roared, "What kind of situation is this? They actually came here to devour people! Summon them at once! I want to ask them who exactly went on a killing spree in the Nine Provinces!"

The divine official hesitated, then said, "The Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods are dead..."

Crown Prince Qingzong's rage was completely extinguished by this news. He slumped onto the throne behind him, murmuring, "Dead?"

The divine official explained, "The Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods died outside a town in the lower realms. The deity responsible for overseeing the lower realms reported seeing numerous heavens expanding outwards, an unknown number of layers, with a celestial orb hanging from the zenith. Within those heavens, treasures like countless stars bombarded and killed the Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods."

Crown Prince Qingzong had never heard of such treasures. He shook his head and said dejectedly, "Father God ordered me to guard the Western Heavens. The Heavenly Court conscripted him to attack the Great Void. The Black Emperor, Green Emperor, and Red Emperor have also been conscripted. The Heavenly Court even mobilized the Ten Guards and various armies. Now, this incident has occurred—twelve Ancient Gods killed in the Western Heavens. The blame for this is immense, yet it cannot be concealed..." His head throbbed with pain.

The divine official hesitated. "Your Highness, should this matter be reported to the Heavenly Court?"

"It must be reported to the Heavenly Court; it's impossible to conceal!" Crown Prince Qingzong declared decisively. "Summon the Heavenly Court's Divine Constabulary to investigate who is responsible! Also, immediately seal all Psychic Relocation Bridges within our territory! The one who killed the twelve Ancient Gods is still in the Western Heavens and has not left; we must ensure he remains here!"

As the divine official was about to leave, Crown Prince Qingzong suddenly called him back. "One more thing: immediately inform all Ancient Gods within the Western Heavens to set off at once for the White Tiger Celestial Palace!" The divine official hurriedly departed.

"The one who killed the twelve Ancient Gods is incredibly powerful, and those dozens of heavens must be extremely potent exotic treasures. With the White Tiger Celestial Palace's protection, combined with dozens of Ancient Gods from the Western Heavens, that person should not be able to break into the White Tiger Celestial Palace."

Crown Prince Qingzong paced back and forth, then suddenly gritted his teeth and turned to leave. He thought to himself, "I must personally go and examine the place where the Three Pillar Heavenly Ancient Gods died, to see if any clues were left behind!" However, he was cautious. He summoned over a hundred personal guards, all top-tier divine beings and devils from the Western Heavens, to escort him.

Crown Prince Qingzong then removed his official robes, changed into a guard's uniform, and hurried out of the White Tiger Celestial Palace with his retinue. Just as he stepped out of the Southern Heavenly Gate, he coincidentally saw a young man walking with a dragon-kirin from nearby, heading towards the Psychic Relocation Bridge. A plump little azure sparrow stood on the dragon-kirin's forehead.

The divine beings and devils guarding the Psychic Relocation Bridge had already sealed it off, yet they seemed not to notice this person, allowing him to walk onto the altar. Crown Prince Qingzong was greatly surprised, a thought stirring within him. Just then, a tiny creature emerged from the dragon-kirin's ear, resembling Tu Bo but infinitely smaller. The tiny Tu Bo stood by the dragon-kirin's earhole, stretched, yawned, then suddenly spotted Crown Prince Qingzong and immediately yelled, "Ah!"

The dragon-kirin and the young man turned around, their eyes meeting Crown Prince Qingzong's. Crown Prince Qingzong knew something was wrong. With an angry roar, banners unfurled behind him with a whoosh, eight large flags planted on his back, rustling loudly! He activated the Azure Blood Rust Flag Scripture, but at that moment, his gaze met the young man's. He heard the young man's voice, which noted his status as a great master of the Lingxiao realm, thus explaining why Qingzong hadn't been confused by his divine sense. The voice seemed close yet grew increasingly distant. Crown Prince Qingzong's consciousness became somewhat blurred, his expression vacant.

The voice grew increasingly indistinct. Crown Prince Qingzong felt his thoughts slowly solidify, as if turning into wood, and his memory of the young man gradually faded. All he heard was a melodic song, profound in its meaning: The wondrous truth of the Rotten Wood chess game, how many springs have passed in one round? Since leaving the cave, no idle hands; show mercy where mercy is due!

When the song ceased, Crown Prince Qingzong immediately shook his head, startling awake from his daze. He looked at the Psychic Relocation Bridge with confusion, then glanced behind him. "Why did I activate the Azure Blood Rust Flag Scripture, looking as if I were facing a formidable enemy? I must have been too nervous." He couldn't help but chuckle, then deactivated the Azure Blood Rust Flag Scripture and commanded, "Soldiers over there, immediately seal off the Psychic Relocation Bridge!" The soldiers guarding the bridge quickly braced themselves and surrounded it.

Suddenly, another Psychic Relocation Bridge lit up. The divine official he had dispatched earlier arrived hurriedly, accompanied by several Ancient Gods. Crown Prince Qingzong exclaimed in surprise, "So fast?"

The divine official bowed. "Your Highness, I was gone for ten days, and I have fulfilled my duty..."

"Ten days?" Crown Prince Qingzong looked bewildered, staring blankly at him. He blurted out, "How many days were you gone?"

The divine official seemed puzzled but still replied, "It has been ten days."

"Ten days, ten days..." Crown Prince Qingzong shivered several times, a deep fear seizing his heart. He had just come outside the Celestial Palace, and after only a moment of daze, ten days had passed! If he had been affected, then his accompanying personal guards must have been affected too. How terrifying to think that so many divine beings and devils had stood here with him for ten days!

In his daze, a faint voice softly sang in his mind again. Crown Prince Qingzong softly hummed along to the tune: Since leaving the cave, no idle hands; show mercy where mercy is due... show mercy where mercy is due... Return to the palace!

With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Gather all generals! Guard the White Emperor Palace, and await the Heavenly Court's Divine Constabulary! Until the White Emperor returns, cease using human blood sacrifices!"