Chapter 909: Purple and Blue
At this very moment, within the Imperial Capital, inside the residence of Xiang Ningyan, in a courtyard specifically cleared for Zi Sister Xuan.
Zi Sister Xuan was struggling.
She sat cross-legged there, complex imprints emerging on the ground around her, forming a seal that bound her body.
Those imprints were composed of soul threads.
These soul threads had erupted at the moment of the Human Emperor's ancestral sacrifice, making it impossible for Zi Sister Xuan to leave.
And in a civilian residence not far from this place, Chen Erniu was also sitting cross-legged, also struggling, blue veins bulging on his face, bloodshot eyes appearing!
Around him, a seal likewise existed; it was not soul threads, but an arrangement from the Seventh Master.
"Old man, you old rascal, you actually schemed against me, sealing me here—I, your father, am going to defect from the sect."
Chen Erniu growled, struggling with all his might!
And in the outside world, at this moment, the wind from the Nine Serenities blew across the Human Race Imperial Capital!
For that brief instant, the sky seemed to grow murky; the opening of the Netherworld Gate could ultimately not be concealed, revealing itself to Eastern Wanggu and causing all parties, who had been distracted by the Human Empress attaining godhood, to take notice!
After all, it was the revival of an ancient kingdom, and the eeriness of the ritual itself could be called the pinnacle.
It was different from the Empress attaining godhood!
Regarding all that was happening in the Heaven-Swallowing Great Domain, at this moment, no race and no deity went to obstruct the path; they all chose to turn a blind eye!
It was as if that place were a forbidden zone.
Because this was a sacrifice to the gods, and the Upper Desolation was pleased!
In the Human Race Imperial Capital, the Empress raised her head; a flash of complexity crossed her expression for an instant, but it ultimately transformed into calmness!
Her transaction with that person had, at this point, come to a complete end!
Both sides had obtained the results they wanted!
In the future, everything would be centered on the race!
And for the Human Race, having broken with the Holy Land and with the Great Emperor fallen, the future of the Eastern Wanggu Human Race—whether it would be precarious or would rise completely—rested on her own shoulders, to be carried eternally!
Just as she had said before, all karma, he would carry it alone.
The Empress felt calm in her heart, withdrew her gaze, and looked toward the Human Race, sweeping over the commoners of the Imperial Capital and feeling their excitement, sweeping over the assembled officials here and feeling their turbulence!
She also saw all the Imperial Princes and Princesses, sensing their nervousness!
Until the Empress looked at Xu Qing!
"That person's brother in this life, the sword-bearer chosen by the Great Emperor..."
In the Empress's gaze... at this moment, Xu Qing stood upon the Human Race war drums, the sorrow that had not yet faded visible on his face, and upon sensing her gaze, he also looked toward her!
He bowed toward her!
The Empress nodded slightly, finally looking toward the rising morning sun in the sky, her majestic voice echoing through heaven and earth!
"Issue a decree to the east of Eastern Wanggu, to all Great Domains!"
"From this day forth, all of our kin in those cities shall be properly settled; the Human Race in the outer domains shall not die violent deaths!"
"The King of Suppressing Flame, the King of North River, the King of Cloud Billow... all seventeen Heavenly Kings, lead the seventeen armies to the various alien domains in the east of Eastern Wanggu to bring our kin... home!"
Once these words were spoken, the emotions of everyone present surged!
Since the Eastern Victory, too many of our kin have been stranded outside... it was not that the successive Human Emperors did not want to bring them back, but they were powerless to do so!
Until this moment, until today, the Empress who had attained godhood, relying on the power of the God Platform to issue the decree—in the east of Eastern Wanggu, her voice on this day was the voice of heaven!
The King of Suppressing Flame and the other Heavenly Kings flew out instantly, bowing to the Empress in mid-air and answering in low voices!
"The remaining officials, princes, and the thousand others, seven days from now in the Imperial Palace main hall, change the imperial title and hold a grand court."
The Empress's voice echoed again, and all the officials bowed!
"The sacrifice is over, you may all disperse; Eleven, you come with me!"
The Ancient Emperor Star rumbled and slowly sank, returning to its original position; the sky recovered, the Human Race's destiny faded, and there were no more ripples!
The cultivators inside the ancient star were also moved out, appearing in mid-air!
This grand ritual had, at this point, come to an end!
And at this moment, the assembled officials also saw that the Empress and her son clearly had matters to discuss, so it was inconvenient to disturb them; after bowing, they left the Imperial Palace silently, carrying endless thoughts about this sacrifice!
Only Eleven felt both excited and apprehensive in his heart, like a child who had done something wrong, walking toward the Empress with his head lowered!
After standing beside the Empress, he opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately did not know how to express it!
As for the Empress, her gaze did not look at the Eleven beside her.
Prince!
She looked toward the sky, at Xu Qing, who was still standing there after the Human Race war drums had vanished and the officials had departed!
"King of Suppressing Heaven!"
The Empress spoke calmly!
Xu Qing, in mid-air, bowed toward the Empress!
"Your Majesty, I am waiting for someone; I think he should come!"
Xu Qing responded softly!
The Empress's gaze was profound; she stared at Xu Qing for a short while, said nothing more, and turned to walk toward the Imperial Palace!
The Eleventh Prince took a deep breath and followed nervously!
After a while, heaven and earth were quiet!
Compared to the grand ceremony here earlier, the sudden silence at this moment created an inexplicable... oppression!
In this oppression, in the universe, only Xu Qing stood alone in mid-air; no figures appeared in any direction!
Only he, looking toward the horizon, waited calmly!
His patience was sufficient, because he had waited a long time for this day!
He believed that the other party would come back!
This was a premonition brought by his intuition!
To be precise, back when he first arrived at the Human Race Imperial Capital and saw that figure draped in the identity of the Imperial Preceptor in the palace, he knew that the moment of facing him was not far off!
Just like that, time passed bit by bit!
The morning sun in the sky slowly rose, its light and heat spreading ever more through the world, until... it was high noon!
The intense sunlight wiped away the darkness of the earth and melted the dust, flashing into his eyes, so brilliant that it seemed one could not see the sky!
Xu Qing had seen many such suns!
Among them, there was one engraved into his soul in his memory, which he could never forget for all his lives!
That was Shi Wushuang City, the final noon!
The sunlight that day was also this intense, until a figure appeared within it, and then blood rain fell upon Shi Wushuang City...
And today, this figure, in Xu Qing's gaze, in that noon sunlight, revealed itself once again!
Purple invaded the light, isolating the heat, gathering from the sky, coming from the firmament, walking step by step toward the human world.
Finally, it replaced the daylight, replaced the firmament, and stepped into Xu Qing's gaze, covering his world, covering everything in his eyes!
Prince Prince Ziqing.
His face was handsome, his smile was gentle, his gaze was peaceful, and his footsteps were soft!
He stood in mid-air and spoke softly toward the Imperial Palace!
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on finally attaining the God Platform!"
A calm voice echoed from within the Imperial Palace!
"At this moment, you should be within your own Great Domain, not among my race!"
Prince Ziqing heard this, smiled slightly, and nodded!
"The Empress is right; after I take back my doll, I will leave!"
!
Having said that, Prince Ziqing turned his head and looked at Xu Qing!
His gaze was as gentle as ever, just as it had been in Shi Wushuang City!
"Little brother, have you been waiting for me the whole time?"
Xu Qing's expression was as usual, and he nodded!
"It seems you have truly grown up!"
Prince Ziqing smiled, raised his right hand, and grabbed lightly toward Xu Qing!
"Then let us go; I will take you home!"
Under this grab, the firmament instantly reversed, the earth also rumbled, and a terrifying power descended upon the world, cutting through the time of all directions, cutting through the fate of this place and Eastern Wanggu!
Making the space around Xu Qing independent of Eastern Wanggu, unstoppable, and impossible to resist!
This hand... was like fate; perhaps it was not an illusion, but in the palm prints of this hand, Xu Qing seemed to see Shi Wushuang City, see the blood rain, and also see himself crying helplessly while holding a doll!
But just at this moment, a cold snort suddenly came from within the Imperial Palace!
Furthermore, the aura of five deities erupted within the Human Race's destiny, descending upon heaven and earth and locking onto Prince Ziqing!
In an instant, the reversed universe was set right, and the rumbling earth was suppressed!
"Your Majesty... this is a family matter between my little brother and me!"
Prince Ziqing's hand paused in mid-air, and he looked toward the Imperial Palace, speaking softly!
"Xu Qing is my subject, the King of Suppressing Heaven of my race, and the Grand Tutor to the Imperial Princes!"
"Inside the Imperial Palace, the Empress's voice was calm, carrying an unquestionable tone!"
Prince Ziqing seemed to have heard some interesting words; his smile grew wider, and his eyes slowly revealed a luster beyond gentleness, seemingly brilliant, yet revealing a touch of ancient vicissitudes!
Even the voice is exactly the same!
"Little Brother, it seems you don't wish for Your Majesty to intervene either!"
"But since Your Majesty has spoken, then... how about we"
play a game of choice?"
After Prince Ziqing finished speaking, he raised his left hand and flipped it, and in his hand appeared
a purple wooden box!
With a touch of his fingertip, the box was opened, and a light... suddenly radiated from within the wooden tray.
That light was colorless and formless, invisible yet perceptible; the moment it appeared, the firmament rippled, the earth roared, and the sun and moon lost their luster.
Everyone in the Imperial Capital—regardless of whether they were commoners, cultivators, or court officials—had their expressions change drastically in that instant!
Because that light... was the gaze emitted after the God's remnant face opened its eyes.
The first time the God appeared was back at Seven Blood Eyes, released from the hands of the Night Dove beside Prince Ziqing!
Later, Xu Qing also saw it inside the God's trial body!
But at this moment, the light in the box in the hands of Crown Prince Prince Ziqing was far, far more concentrated than it had been back at Seven Blood Eyes.
The moment it was revealed to the world, no matter the cultivation base of the mighty figures, and no matter if their divine abilities and Dao techniques could alter the heavens and earth, in this instant... they were all trembling!
The Gods were no exception!
Because that was a suppression of the life hierarchy, that was the death talisman hanging over the heads of all the myriad races of the Eastern Wanggu Continent!
Hierarchy determines everything!
At this moment, as the wooden box was opened and that invisible, colorless, and even naked-eye-imperceptible gaze was released, the clouds rolled violently, as if they had transformed into an angry, surging sea!
The land of the Imperial Capital was plunged into an unprecedented blur; everything seen was unclear!
Vaguely, there seemed to be murmurs that shook the soul echoing within this heaven and earth, making people's bodies unstable, the world spinning, and causing
ferocious, painful, and maddened roars!
All things in heaven and earth were blurred, all were distorted!
But the Imperial Capital was not Seven Blood Eyes, and the Empress was at the Strong God Stage, so in the next instant, the Imperial Palace's grand array roared to life, the human race's destiny rose into the sky, and the five Gods transformed from the past Human Emperors instantly revealed their true forms and descended!
Within the Imperial Palace, an earth-shattering aura suddenly erupted, appearing to transform into a massive vortex, intending to suck away all the light that had fallen there!
But... since Prince Ziqing had arrived, and since he wanted to play a game with the Empress, his actions could not possibly be limited to just this!
Thus, in the next instant, within the great city of the Imperial Capital, in a mysterious area guarded by heavy troops year-round, a gaze likewise rose, shocking the heavens!
This area was where the historical mission of the human race resided; for tens of thousands of years, no matter the circumstances, it had never been affected!
Aside from the human race's heavy troops, there also existed a special sect there!
Although this sect was one of the ten great sects of the human race, its disciples almost never ventured out; they guarded this place year-round.
This sect was the Hidden Earth Dao, which shouldered a special mission beneath the abyss.
Their task was to guard the gate, to guard the gate leading to the abyss, and they could even disobey imperial orders!
And the abyss was the hometown of the Red Mother, and also the hometown of Li Li Zihua!
That was... the true Eastern Wanggu Continent.
It was the battlefield where Xia Xian, who had arrived from the Thick Earth, fought against the former Huangtian God Race!
In that battle, Xia Xian won, and thus sealed the Huangtian God Race and their God Emperor, and even transformed the Eastern Wanggu of that time into the earth, and thus the Eastern Wanggu Continent of later generations came to be!
And beneath Eastern Wanggu, above the Thick Earth, that place where the sealed Huangtian God Race resided was thereafter defined within the Heavenly Dao as the abyss!
The abyss had gates, nine in total!
The human race here suppressed one of them!
At this moment, the light erupted from the Gate of the Abyss, forming a terrifying might that echoed with the light in the Imperial Capital outside!
The sound of roaring rose to the heavens!
Nine cracks appeared on the Gate of the Abyss.
In an instant, a great noise erupted across the human domain, and waves of murmurs and unwilling roars from the abyss spread from within the gate into the world!
They wanted to return!
They were the true masters of the Eastern Wanggu Continent!
They were the Huangtian God Race, and thus the intense fluctuations spread, permeating the Imperial Capital domain, and endless foreign substances also crazily dissipated from the cracks in the Gate of the Abyss!
From the ground, from the gravel, from the rivers, from the mountains!
From the cities, from every brick and tile, from all food, and all objects.
Even from all existence, they rose up, forming wisps of mist that shook the heavens and the earth!
The clouds in the firmament, under the integration of this mist, changed color rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, they became shocking red clouds; as crimson lightning streaked across with a rumbling sound, drops of blood-colored rain fell from the sky!
An unimaginable, irresistible great terror was forming in the response of the two lights!
If not suppressed in time, once the Gate of the Abyss was breached, no matter what the future held, it was certain that the human race and the surrounding domains would immediately fall into catastrophe!
In an instant, the human race's destiny surged, heaven and earth continued to roar, and thunder scattered with overwhelming force!
Prince Ziqing in mid-air had a gentle smile as he spoke softly!
"Your Majesty... if you and these five Human Emperor God-corpses go to the abyss to suppress it now, there is a high probability that the cracks in the Gate of the Abyss can be healed within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!"
"And I, during the time you are suppressing the abyss, will"
take my Little Brother away!"
"So, the game has begun!"
"Your Majesty, how will you choose? Will you choose one person, or will you choose the race?"
Prince Ziqing looked toward the Imperial Palace!
The vortex above the Imperial Palace roared, and within it, the Empress's eyes
were revealed!
Three breaths later, the five Human Emperor corpse-gods circling Prince Ziqing's body suddenly rose into the air and headed straight for the Gate of the Abyss!
And the vortex within the Imperial Palace also vanished in an instant!
The Empress within it took a step toward the abyss!
"He chose the race!"
Seeing this, the emotions of Crown Prince Prince Ziqing showed ripples for the first time in this lifetime, and he laughed!
But as he laughed, memories emerged in his eyes!
It seemed he thought of the past, where someone else, when faced with such a choice, had chosen the race!
Thus, he looked toward Xu Qing!
Xu Qing's expression had not changed from beginning to end; he watched all of this calmly.
"Little Brother, the Empress abandoned you, and the people around you... also seem to have abandoned you. Everyone, at this moment, seems not to have chosen you!"
"So, come with me!"
Prince Ziqing was gentle; he raised his hand and grabbed, and in the next instant, that hand of fate grabbed toward Xu Qing without any obstruction!
The Emperor Sword emitted a sword hum within Xu Qing's body, but Xu Qing did not respond; he looked at Prince Ziqing and spoke in a calm voice!
"My brother, Crown Prince of the Prince Ziqing Upper Kingdom, over these years, I have gradually had a question in my heart that I want to ask you... what are you afraid of?"
Xu Qing's voice echoed in all directions, falling into Prince Ziqing's ears; Prince Ziqing's smile remained, and he was just about to speak!
But at this moment, a roar that made the firmament roar and the void shatter, carrying the determination to risk everything and the madness to overturn the universe, erupted from a civilian residence in the Imperial Capital!
"Laozi will swallow you."
Inside the residence, the seal surrounding Chen Chen Erniu suddenly collapsed, directly shattered by a madness that surged from him, allowing this madness to have no more obstacles and shoot straight into the clouds!
The sky, at this moment, turned blue!
Endless cold ice sealed the sky and froze the earth!
And on the blue canopy, countless blue arms appeared, densely packed, revealing themselves in the firmament and forming a blue vortex!
Amidst the rumbling rotation, the aura of reincarnation and the aura of death erupted within this vortex, accompanied by the sound of breaking seals!
Furthermore, violent panting also echoed within!
It was as if something terrifying was struggling to crawl out from the depths of this vortex.
At the same time, flakes of blue snow drifted down!
Those snowflakes were actually transformed from blue worms, filling the world!
"Who said A-Qing was abandoned? Laozi didn't abandon him."
The roar spread throughout the Imperial Capital, and Crown Prince Prince Ziqing raised his head, his gaze falling upon it!
Xu Qing's expression, after deciding to wait for Prince Ziqing, changed for the first time; he suddenly turned his head to look at the blue vortex, sensing the madness of his Senior Brother and noticing the aura of the seal being broken!
He suddenly spoke!
"Senior Brother, stay calm."
The sky paused, then emitted an even more violent roar!
"Calm what calm? It's already come to this, Laozi will fight it out!"
Amidst the roaring, the vortex in the sky became increasingly astonishing, the sound earth-shattering, but it seemed the difficulty of this forced breaking of the seal exceeded imagination!
So very quickly... the vortex collapsed amidst this deafening sound, and finally, with a boom, accompanied by a shrill and unwilling roar... it dissipated in the sky!
The snowflakes were gone!
The blue of the firmament was fading!
And very quickly, from the civilian residence in the Imperial Capital, this mad aura rose again, attempting to erupt once more, the rumbling sound constant, but it was still a failure!
Once, and then again!
The intent of madness was extremely intense!
"Your Senior Brother seems to be acting!"
Prince Ziqing smiled, and the hand of destiny he had raised had already grabbed Xu Qing,
bringing his body before him!
"It doesn't matter; I will not harm him today, but I am somewhat curious about your words just now!"
"And what I am even more curious about is, since you were waiting for me, then...
... what is your preparation?"
Prince Ziqing's gaze fell upon Xu Qing, who was enveloped by the hand of destiny,
and he spoke gently!
Xu Qing remained calm!
"I saw your move earlier, and I confirmed my inner judgment!"
Prince Ziqing's expression was tender, and a hint of anticipation even appeared in his eyes, as if he were very interested in what Xu Qing would say next!
"When I was in Fenghai County, I was pondering a question: what method could I use to kill you!"
Xu Qing also spoke softly!
"But I did not know your true combat power, nor did I know your abilities, so I pondered for a long time without an answer, unless I became stronger!"
"But I never gave up on pondering this question!"
"Until I saw the opportunity in the Jiyue Great Domain!" Xu Qing looked at Prince Ziqing!
"And later, in Yanyue, I perfected it!"
"Then, last night, through your move, I saw you manipulating time, cutting the time of Shopkeeper Zhao, and cutting your own time, and even more, linking the opponent's fate to use as nourishment for yourself!"
"Thus, I finally confirmed my inner judgment!"
Xu Qing's voice was somewhat hoarse at this moment, as if sand were rubbing against time, letting memories drift down!
"Why did I have a sense of completeness when I beat the drum earlier? Why did I see a memory in the Jiyue Great Domain of a time within Shi Wushuang City that had never appeared in my mind before!"
"Why is it that in my memory, the palm you lowered back then was
tender!"
"And in another memory, your palm was cruel!"
"My body was torn to pieces, just like the stitched-up doll you sent!"
"But why, in my memory, was this part not there before!"
Xu Qing sighed softly, his gaze meeting Prince Ziqing's!
"Who cut away that cruel time, and who replaced it with the gentle time!"
"If it were the same person, then why would he, who cut away the cruel time, perform the stitching? This is a very contradictory
behavior!"
Prince Ziqing listened quietly to Xu Qing's words, without interrupting at any point!
Until this moment, he smiled tenderly, and his soft voice formed words!
"Is it possible that after that person made his move, he saw the broken you and felt pity rise in his heart!
"
"So he stitched you back together, my little brother, and then gave you a
gentle memory!
"
Under the sky, in mid-air, purple and blue, their eyes met!
The wind blew at this moment, lifting their hair, and as it swayed, it was like the stitched
doll
placed on the threshold of the Spirit Mansion, swaying in the wind!
End of Chapter
