Chapter 24: The Unorthodox Divine Art [Unity]

At the center of the Nameless Sea.

The severed head of a demon god lay silently there.

Xiang Xuanqing and Yinghuo Shangzun remained silent, gazing at each other.

“To be honest, how did you get this thing?”

Xiang Xuanqing looked at Yinghuo Shangzun with a puzzled expression.

Bringing over more than half a demon god’s skull from the dawn of creation—this was clearly not something a proper deity could accomplish.

Xiang Xuanqing believed that even Luo Hou and Hong Jun, who had personally visited the source of the River of Time, might not succeed in bringing back a demon god’s head.

Using the Boat of Salvation this time was a necessity forced by circumstances.

If we don’t go all out now, once that half-dead Chaos Demon God crosses over, he and Yinghuo Shangzun will have a hard time.

Faced with Xiang Xuanqing’s question, Yinghuo Shangzun felt uneasy: “Actually, I didn’t do much.”

“I was just practicing a divine art…”

“A divine art?”

Xiang Xuanqing asked in surprise: “What kind of divine art has this ability?”

“A space-based divine art.”

Yinghuo Shangzun handed Xiang Xuanqing a jade slip from his sleeve.

“Faraway as the Horizon, Near as the Threshold?”

Xiang Xuanqing’s divine sense scanned the jade slip’s contents and quickly comprehended it.

He took a step and leapt, effortlessly crossing the infinite spatial barrier, vanishing above the Nameless Sea.

The next instant, Xiang Xuanqing returned the same way, two crimson fruits now in his hand.

“Your divine art is quite impressive—any problems with it?” Xiang Xuanqing bit into the spirit fruit and casually handed the other to Yinghuo Shangzun.

“What’s this?” Yinghuo Shangzun asked curiously.

He took a bite too—the texture crisp, the juice rich, a fragrant aroma spreading through his mouth and throat, refreshing and invigorating.

“Diwu Fruit.”

Xiang Xuanqing swallowed the Diwu Fruit in three bites. “Just now, while using the divine art, I went to Bu Zhou Mountain and saw the Diwu Tree’s fruit had ripened, so I plucked two.”

“I tasted them during my travels through Hong Huang—they help ward off misfortune.”

“Ward off misfortune?”

Xiang Xuanqing nodded. “After consuming it, the eater is temporarily shielded from certain dangers.”

“There are fruits like this?” Yinghuo Shangzun stared at the half-eaten Diwu Fruit in his hand, marveling.

If you ate two before entering dangerous places, wouldn’t that greatly increase safety?

A fantastic item!

Yinghuo Shangzun’s eyes gleamed.

“Don’t get too excited.”

Xiang Xuanqing knew exactly what Yinghuo Shangzun was thinking. “For beings like us, after eating two or three times, it loses almost all effect—eating more is just for the taste.”

Hearing this, Yinghuo Shangzun’s interest plummeted: “That’s a bit disappointing.”

Xiang Xuanqing smiled. “I brought you one to add a layer of protection for the upcoming test.”

“Come on, let me see what’s wrong with your divine art.”

“Oh, alright!”

Yinghuo Shangzun swallowed the Diwu Fruit in a flash, then looked at Xiang Xuanqing with serious intent: “Step back a bit—I don’t want to hit you.”

“??? ”

Then Yinghuo Shangzun began repeatedly blessing himself, like preparing for battle.

Seeing this, Xiang Xuanqing held back a thought.

【Unless something unexpected happens, something unexpected is about to happen.】

The first few uses of the Diwu Fruit are extremely potent.

Even back when Xiang Xuanqing ate it, he once narrowly escaped disaster because of it.

But the fruit is ineffective against certain special beings.

For example—Ming He.

After discovering the fruit’s effect, he sent some to Ming He.

And then—nothing happened.

Ming He’s luck remained exactly as it was.

It had zero effect in warding off misfortune.

“I’m starting!” Yinghuo Shangzun warned. Xiang Xuanqing silently stepped away.

“My divine art is indeed a great space-based art, but it has a chance of turning into a summoning art.”

“For example—Faraway as the Horizon, Near as the Threshold!!”

Yinghuo Shangzun roared.

BOOM—

Space violently trembled.

A cliff face descended from the sky, landing mere inches from Yinghuo’s position.

Xiang Xuanqing silently pulled out a great seal.

Time rewound to a quarter-hour earlier.

Bu Zhou Mountain.

Qilin Sacred Cliff.

As nine drums sounded, the void erupted with ten thousand beams of rainbow light and a thousand strands of auspicious radiance.

Qilin of all sizes, treading upon auspicious clouds, returned from across Hong Huang and gathered beneath Qilin Cliff.

“This Qilin Assembly is convened to discuss our clan’s future development!”

Auspicious clouds rolled, imperial energy surged, and a towering, earth-shaking figure appeared atop Qilin Sacred Cliff.

Behind him stood thirty-five colossal divine forms in the void.

“We pay homage to our Ancestor!”

Countless qilin bowed low to the tall elder at the center.

The First Qilin, leader of the Qilin Clan.

Born from the essence of Earth Yuan, his five-element affinity is Earth, naturally commanding the might of the land. The remaining thirty-five divine forms were great divine beings of the Qilin Clan and its subordinate races.

“Last time, young qilin complained that Elder Mo’s speeches were too long-winded, rambling without getting to the point.”

Standing beside the First Qilin, Bai Hu Shenjun stepped forward: “So from now on, we eliminate the pre-meeting speech. The Ancestor himself will announce the assembly’s purpose.”

“Divine Lord, wise indeed!!”

Cheers erupted beneath Qilin Cliff.

All qilin, young and old, beamed with joy.

“Am I really that tedious?!”

Mo Yu Qilin snorted, his face darkening at the reaction below.

Yun Lu Shenjun beside him chuckled: “Elder Mo, don’t be upset. Our Qilin Clan has always valued respect for elders and care for the young, especially honoring the opinions of the young.”

“After last assembly, our Elder Council received many complaints from young qilin—otherwise, this resolution wouldn’t have passed.”

Mo Yu Qilin’s face remained cold; he was about to retort when the First Qilin’s voice rang out.

“Enough. For this assembly, I will speak only two points!”

The First Qilin’s expression was gentle, his voice deep and steady, clear yet restrained, showing no sign of age.

“First, our Qilin Clan will enter a period of great expansion.”

“Second, we will expand outward from Bu Zhou Mountain, toward the myriad heavens and great worlds of the cosmos.”

“Children, the realms beyond Hong Huang Zhen Jie will become your vast stage.”

After delivering these three sentences on the two points, the First Qilin waited silently for the reaction below.

The qilin, young and old, gathered in small groups, engaging in heated discussion of the Ancestor’s words.

The clamor rose gradually from the cliff’s base.

The faces of the thirty-six great beings atop Qilin Sacred Cliff all wore smiles.

The Qilin Clan was open-minded and valued its members’ opinions.

Following the principle of collective deliberation, even underage clan members could participate in assembly discussions.

After announcing the assembly’s key points, everyone would break into group discussions.

When clan members voiced their thoughts, the Thirty-Six Emperors would provide corresponding answers.

“Elders, my companion and I have a question: why does our Qilin Clan expand not from Hong Huang’s land, but toward the myriad heavens of the cosmos?”

Soon, a youthful voice rang out.

A young qilin held his companion’s hand, both raising them high.

“Excellent question!”

Laughter rang out from Qilin Cliff.

Bai Hu Shenjun asked: “Which lineage are you from?”

“The Metal Qilin lineage.”

“Where does the Six Books of Qilin begin cultivation?”

“Disciple began with the First Book.”

“I see.”

Bai Hu Shenjun nodded and said, “The First Book of the Six Books of Qilin teaches offensive arts, glorifying our Qilin clan’s strength—no wonder you have such an ambitious heart.”

“Come to think of it, I was the one who compiled the First Book.”

“Yes yes! I chose the First Book of Qilin because I admired Jianbing Elder!”

The young one of the Metal Qilin lineage was thrilled, “After the Assembly, can Jianbing Elder bless our Qilin Books?”

“Of course. Remember to come find me after the Assembly.”

Bai Hu Shenjun accepted gladly: “Let’s return to your earlier question.”

“Why don’t we expand from Hong Huang Earth? Because Hong Huang is perilous and full of evil gods!”

“Our Qilin clan is strong, yes—but not strong enough.”

Bai Hu Shenjun frankly told the young Qilin, “In Hong Huang’s heavens and earth, dangers abound—even we elders still do not know how deep Hong Huang’s waters truly run!”

“The Wu Shang Zhen Jie—we cannot grasp it!”

“So that’s how it is!” The young Qilin was clever, grasping it instantly.

He and his companion bowed and withdrew.

On Qilin Cliff, Yun Lu Shenjun suddenly spoke to remind them: “When you return, be sure to read the Sixth Book of Qilin again.”

“I have repeatedly emphasized: the Sixth Book complements the first five—do not neglect it.”

“Though it contains no divine arts or techniques, it holds the Wu Shang Dao—the art of survival!”

“Deception, theft, trickery—these five supreme skills, even if you never use them, you must know how to counter them, or you will suffer in Hong Huang.”

Yun Lu Shenjun spoke with grave earnestness.

If the two young ones had seriously read the Sixth Book of Qilin, they would not have asked that question just now.

All the Qilin bowed their hands: “We shall remember!”

Bai Hu Shenjun answered one young Qilin’s question; other elders gradually answered the questions of other clan members.

Finally, Bai Hu Shenjun delivered the concluding remarks.

He looked out at the crowd and proclaimed loudly:

“Remember: our expansion this time begins from the Zhu Tian Wan Jie, starting with the weakest universes, where enemies are fewest!”

“We must proceed from easy to hard, from bottom to top—surround the Da Qian Shi Jie with Xiao Qian Shi Jie, and surround the supreme Hong Huang with Zhu Tian Wan Jie.”

“We must gather strength until one day, we unleash a tidal wave of conquest and descend upon Hong Huang!”

Bai Hu Shenjun spoke with passionate fervor, arms outstretched, shouting: “You are the sparks we have scattered across the cosmos!”

“A spark can… hey hey??”

“What’s going on?”

Before Bai Hu Shenjun could finish, the void trembled violently; Qilin Sacred Cliff shook as if the earth and mountains were collapsing.

Ying Huo Shangzun’s divine art had activated.

Before the eyes of countless Qilin, Shi Qilin and the thirty-five elders felt the ground vanish beneath them.

Qilin Sacred Cliff had vanished without a trace.

“????”

The entire Qilin clan stood stunned.

(End of Chapter)