Chapter 1038: The Heaven of the Small World

According to my observations these past few days, a day in this realm is about seventeen shichen, longer than in Eastern Wanggu.

Xu Qing gazed at the eight blood-red eyes scattered across the heavens, murmuring inwardly.

So there are still four shichen until the ninth eye appears.

During this waiting period…

Xu Qing closed his eyes, sensing his current cultivation and combat power.

For his former divine body, he was very familiar with it—whether divine authority or other aspects, all could be integrated into combat, turning them into potent killing techniques.

But for his current immortal body…

In fact, up to now, Xu Qing has not relied on this body for any real battle.

Even his previous clash with the Netherflame Great Emperor was merely suppressing the opponent together with his senior brother, without displaying any divine arts or techniques.

Thus, at this moment, while waiting for the ninth eye to appear, Xu Qing's focus of perception is organizing the techniques of this body.

"My Ultimate Immortal Body cultivates the Ten Extremes Dao. Since my spirit storehouse is nine and my Return to the Void is also nine, my limit is now the Nine Extremes Dao..."

"Among them, the first five extremes—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—are the foundation of cultivation and also the rules governing the operation of heaven and earth."

"And initially, I cultivated based on my own five viscera, using myself as the cycle, not following the local heaven and earth as the source. Thus… my combat power is not limited to a certain place or realm."

"Anywhere, I can emit my own five-element power."

After pondering, Xu Qing raised his right hand, slightly opened his palm, and focused his gaze within it.

In the next moment, a dense metallic force gathered in his palm, gradually reaching its peak, and Xu Qing's eyes flashed with a sharp gleam.

"The Ultimate Metal Dao can control all metal in heaven and earth, with no fixed techniques—how to use it lies in a single thought!"

"Wood, water, fire, earth—each is the same."

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes; in his current perception, the Five Elements Dao was like blocks of building blocks, assembling whatever shape he envisioned.

"Theoretically, the limit of this five-element power is my imagination."

"That is to say, the divine abilities of the upcoming Five Elements Dao require me to comprehend and create them myself."

"And most importantly… a single Five Element can become a divine ability, and when intertwined with one another, they can also become divine abilities."

After displaying the Five Elements Dao one by one in his hand and slowly exploring it, Xu Qing fell into thought.

"Besides, the shadow's ability is not limited by the divine body or the immortal body."

Xu Qing waved his hand, and instantly the shadow beneath him spread out, covering the ground, enveloping the entire mountain. After that, Xu Qing saw the true form of the shadow.

The great tree hanging a coffin, and numerous eyes.

All emitting pleasing emotional fluctuations.

"And the Emperor's Sword."

Xu Qing murmured.

The Emperor's Sword belongs to immortal cultivators, so it naturally cannot remain in the divine body; thus Xu Qing took it away and merged it into his immortal body.

Sensing the Emperor's Sword within his body, Xu Qing's mind also surfaced the sword forms taught by the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor.

"Earth Store, Rift Void, Heavenly Palace, Starlight, and… the Mortal Realm."

After recalling these five sword forms for a while, his thoughts continued onward.

"Besides, my techniques also include the Jin Wu Refining Myriad Spirits and immortal arts."

A black flame flashed at Xu Qing's brow; the Jin Wu's shadow appeared behind him, black flames spreading outward. Under the control and enhancement of his Ultimate Fire Dao, the flames' power surged instantly.

Along with the Jin Wu, countless tails appeared out of nowhere, transmitting cheers toward Xu Qing.

After gazing for a moment, Xu Qing sensed his immortal arts.

Immortal arts are a kind of forbidden technique; Xu Qing has mastered few—one is Six Bandits False Life, the other is Five Dogs Abandon Immortals.

The former is a trace of the Authority Dao; the latter relies on his own comprehension.

"They can be used."

After pondering, Xu Qing's right eye suddenly flashed with a dark light, wiping away authority power and forming it within.

"As for treasures…"

Xu Qing raised his hand; three beams of light flashed, transforming into three supreme treasures.

One is a needle, capable of mending cause and effect.

One is a pair of scissors, capable of severing cognition.

One is a shield, capable of protecting oneself.

The first two come from the Evil Born; the last one is what Xu Qing obtained in the Moyu Holy Land.

Gazing at these three treasures, Xu Qing inhaled once, and instantly these three Great Emperor treasures turned into flowing light, merging into his mouth, which he placed within his body to nurture.

"As for the killing nail…"

Xu Qing's eyes flashed with a sharp gleam.

"The Ultimate Void Dao represented by 'Fishing the Moon from the Well' is one; the Ultimate Time Dao represented by the influence of Life's Thread on light and shadow is another; and there should also be a killing nail that can be manifested, though its composition will be the Five Elements."

"That would be the God-Slaying Platform, or more accurately, it should be called the Five Elements God-Slaying Platform!"

"As for the last…"

Xu Qing took a deep breath, his expression becoming much more Heavy.

"Other variations of the Ultimate Void Dao and Ultimate Time Dao."

Xu Qing's mind surfaced the sensations and visions he experienced when opening his eyes in that vortex passage.

"Space, infinitely large and infinitely small."

"Time, infinitely long and infinitely short."

Xu Qing furrowed his brows, but soon relaxed, knowing that his current self needs to comprehend many things, and this immortal body has just as much to be explored.

This is actually the reason he chose to come to the Fifth Star Ring Immortal Capital to study and train.

"Don't be too impatient."

Xu Qing's thoughts gradually calmed, he closed his eyes, and silently comprehended.

Thus, time passed bit by bit, and in the instant when four hours elapsed, the firmament suddenly rippled with the sound of Lei Ting, tearing through the sky in an instant and exploding within this world.

Causing all beings in this world to tremble in mind and spirit, instinctively raising their heads, on the celestial canopy……appeared the ninth eye.

Upon opening, the black sky turned crimson!

The dim earth was also dyed crimson in that instant, the entire world……as if immersed in bloodlight.

A terrifying aura descended from the heavens, dreadful pressure transformed into a storm, sweeping across all regions.

Moreover, there was a murmuring sound, like the voice of the Dao of Heaven, echoing in the ears of all beings.

Became Lei Ting.

Afterwards, within this world, all beings, whether mortal or cultivator, whether residing in villages and towns or cities, even if in the wilderness……

All, in the instant this murmuring Dao of Heaven sound arrived, knelt down toward the firmament.

Their expressions, regardless of how they were before, in this instant, under the effect of that murmuring sound, actually became fervent, even if their bodies were emaciated to the extreme, even if their lives were about to wither, they still exerted themselves fully, offering all they possessed.

Children were thus, elders were thus, all beings were thus.

Under this selfless and proactive offering, their vitality transformed into wisps of white smoke, rising from all corners of the world, gathering at those nine crimson eyes.

Absorbed by those nine eyes!

Xu Qing's eyes opened at this very moment; he raised his head and coldly gazed upon all this, his internal cultivation circulated, his five viscera burst forth, the Seven Great Worlds ascended, exuding dense spiritual power, which gathered into his eyes.

What his eyes beheld was fundamentally not nine eyes!

It was actually nine formations!

Within each formation sat cross-legged a skeleton!

"There is still vitality, and they have not died."

Xu Qing stared at those nine skeletons, and through their appearance, discerned they were not of this world's race, but human!

"Uniform attire, is this from a single power?"

"Are they healing wounds?"

In Xu Qing's eyes, the vitality of this world, at this moment, all gathered within those nine skeletons, but in the next instant, vitality actually flowed out from their heavenly spirits, drifting toward a higher place Xu Qing could not discern……

"Not healing wounds, they are condensing and filtering impurities!"

Xu Qing's eyes narrowed.

At the same time, a faint aura on Xu Qing's shoulder revived somewhat, and following that, at the mud fox's location, the body slowly changed from its sculpted state, exhibiting some flesh and blood.

The moment Xu Qing opened his eyes, a complaining voice entered his ears.

"What damned place is this, little one, which star ring did you come from?"

"How is the suppression of divinities here so astonishing……"

"Completely rejecting all divine power!"

"I barely managed to awaken here."

The mud fox weakly spoke, and without waiting for Xu Qing's response, the first thing it saw upon looking was the earth.

Its pupils constricted.

"Below is sealed a Wu Xia!"

Afterwards, it scanned the world, then looked toward the nine eyes in the firmament, startled, then inhaled.

"The Formation for Refining Divinities!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing spoke softly.

"Senior, I already told you before, the place I need to go may not welcome divinities."

The mud fox shrank its head, speaking weakly.

"The suppression here on me is too great, and it's not just unwelcoming……to arrange a Formation for Refining Divinities in a minor world, drawing down divine power to nourish beings."

"This is the first layer of filtration, then from within beings' bodies, life is extracted, to be refined by those nine cultivations, this is the second layer of filtration."

"After these two layers, the power sent forth is extremely pure, suitable for human absorption."

"So ruthless, even more so than your Eastern Wanggu Continent, just unknown whether this arrangement is singular or multiple……"

Regarding this place, the mud fox felt apprehension in its heart; after thinking, its body trembled, transforming into an earring, hanging from Xu Qing's earlobe.

"This way is safer."

The mud fox muttered a sentence, from the earring it had become, extended its tiny tongue, licking Xu Qing's ear, feeling his Yang essence.

It seemed this behavior could calm its mind and spirit somewhat.

Xu Qing felt somewhat uncomfortable, but noticing the mud fox's state, he did not stop it; at this moment gazing at the nine eyes in the firmament, his eyes showed contemplation.

"They should not have noticed your appearance; you don't act to split this place open?"

The mud fox asked listlessly.

Xu Qing shook his head.

"Splitting this place open is simple, but with such an arrangement, there must be other protective measures outside; my injuries are not yet fully healed, facing the unknown, I need to be at peak before acting."

Xu Qing spoke calmly.

His nature has always been steady, and he possesses ample patience, this is a habit cultivated since childhood, and even during his time at the Seven Blood Eyes, this habit remained unchanged.

Now in this unfamiliar place, he clearly understands, either he does not act, or once he acts, he must have sufficient assurance to face the subsequent unknown.

"Alright, I temporarily cannot help you, the suppression here is too great, I need to sleep to slowly adapt."

The mud fox spoke weakly, yet in its heart it felt helpless, silently thinking, old lady came to such a damned place for Yang essence, truly giving her all.

Xu Qing nodded, continuing to observe.

Thus, one night passed.

For all beings in this world, every time the nine eyes appear together, it is their time to offer sacrifice; when dawn breaks, the sacrifice ends, and what awaits them is utter weakness.

However, obviously, to continue absorbing, to constantly nourish, the absorption of the nine eyes has not been severed.

Some vitality remains.

So that hope may endure, thus becoming true despair.

And in the firmament, eight eyes have vanished, leaving only one present at this moment.

In the days that followed, Xu Qing sat cross-legged on the mountain peak; when the fourth eye appeared in the firmament, he recovered completely from the injuries brought by traversing the sea vortex, and himself reached his peak.

In the following days, Xu Qing wasted no time; his focus was on comprehending the Dao of the Five Elements and the combination of the God-Slaying Platform.

Besides that, he also devoted some of his mind to comprehending the changes in space and time observed during the traversal of the vortex.

He faintly felt that the space and time within the vortex held great significance for verifying himself and seeking the path.

Time passed.

The world grew ever more crimson, and the ninth day arrived.

On the firmament, the ninth eye, representing terror, slowly emerged.

Blood light shrouded the world; all beings offered sacrifice, and heaven and earth fell into dimness.

Xu Qing rose to his feet on the mountain peak.

"The time to leave has come."

Xu Qing spoke calmly, taking a step toward the firmament!

The moment he stepped, the firmament suddenly thundered, and bolts of lightning erupted beneath his feet, spreading across the firmament and continuously exploding.

From afar, his figure walking step by step caused the world to tremble with each step; lightning thundered, the firmament changed color, as if contending with heaven in brilliance!

And the nine eyes on the firmament, their act of absorption, paused instantly.

The nine blood eyes turned in unison, suddenly gazing toward Xu Qing, who had abruptly appeared in their perception!