Chapter 250: Big Changes to Emperor-Receiving
A massive blue lake stretched out in front of Xu Qing. The water was extremely clear, but close examination revealed that it was actually frozen. A chaotic tangle of colorful plants grew on the lake shore. Even the ceiling of the cave was covered in moss. There was clearly a lot of moisture in the air.
Xu Qing looked around. Whether it was what he could see or what he could sense, nothing about the area seemed dangerous. However, he remained on guard as he carefully approached the lake and looked down into it. When he saw what lay at the bottom of the frozen water, he frowned slightly. The lake floor was covered with an assortment of bones. There were bones of both men and women, all humans, and they were scattered everywhere, seemingly a reminder of some sort of tragic event.
“I found this place by accident,” Wu Jianwu said. Seemingly worried Xu Qing might be getting the wrong idea about his intentions, he continued, “I’ve been here a few times and never ran into anything dangerous. The bones down there don’t have any sort of mutagen in them.”
Xu Qing nodded. After looking more closely at the lake, Xu Qing thought back to the description of immortal ice from Grandmaster Bai’s medicinal codex and realized that the frozen substance here differed slightly from the description he was familiar with.
It was more fragrant.
That fragrant aroma was stronger the closer you got to the edge of the lake. It was sweet, even unctuous; the longer the aroma stayed in your nostrils, the worse it smelled. That did not match what he had read about immortal ice.
Xu Qing’s guess was that years ago, before changing into its current form, this place had been a normal pond infused with immortal energy. Most likely, this lake was indeed like the description from the medicinal codex, in that it had been formed by immortal energy. However, during the process of transforming into immortal ice, something different happened. Perhaps this was a mutated variety of immortal ice.
Xu Qing wasn’t sure of the exact details, but he was certain this stuff was worthy of further research.
He was just about to start collecting some specimens when he noticed something at the bottom of the lake and exhaled in surprise. His life flames ignited, and his cultivation base erupted with power, causing a sea of flames to spread out around him.
Wu Jianwu’s eyes widened, and he backed up a few steps, unsure of what was going on. “What’s wrong?”
Meanwhile, Xu Qing focused the power of his life flames on his eyes, causing them to glitter more brightly than stars as he stared at the lake. Among the bones and rubble on the lake floor was a stone that seemed very familiar to him.
Noticing Xu Qing’s gaze, Wu Jianwu quickly said, “What are you looking at? Is there something good down there? It’s too bad this lake is so bizarre. I wouldn’t dare go down inside. In the past I was thinking of trying to fish out the bones, but I wasn’t—”
All of a sudden, the stone that Xu Qing found familiar wriggled, then shot out of the lake as if it had been grabbed by an invisible hand. Dripping water, it shot toward him and then hovered right in front of him.
Wu Jianwu gasped.
After closely examining it, Xu Qing realized why it seemed familiar to him. It had the aura of the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber.
Astonishingly, this stone contained the divine resonance of the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber! Intrigued, Xu Qing took the stone. Around the same time, his shadow returned to him. The shadow was what he had used to take the stone from the lake.
Looking back into the lake, it was now possible to see that, buried in the ground beneath the spot where the stone had previously lay, was a stone stele. As the water rippled, the silt atop the stone stele stirred, revealing some calligraphy and an image.
Xu Qing looked more closely.
“Immortal Bathing Cistern of the Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan?” When Wu Jianwu read the calligraphy, he let loose a cry of surprise.
Xu Qing was also stunned. Next, his gaze slid from the calligraphy to the image, which was actually a map of the continent of South Phoenix.
The Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan was identified. Of course, that area was now called the Violet Lands. The map also showed the location of the Immortal Bathing Cistern. And not too far away from it was another location: Crown Prince’s Mansion.
That was the same location as the ruins of the Supreme Vastness daoist temple that Xu Qing planned to go to next.
The history of this lake was now clear. And the name Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan caused memories to stir in Xu Qing. The first place he had heard about that kingdom was in the Violet Lands, when Chen Feiyuan explained the details of the eight great clans. That was when Xu Qing had learned the long history of the place in South Phoenix, and how it had been ruled by a fantastic bloodline. [1]
They can form symbiotic relationships with magical treasures....
It made him think of how Chen Feiyuan had seemed both strong and weak at the same time.
At this point, Xu Qing harvested some of the mutated immortal ice. Then, without any hesitation he left the cave.
Wu Jianwu escorted him back to the crevice. Once outside, Wu Jianwu stood there looking at him, rubbing his hands together anxiously. He looked like he wanted to stay something, but was hesitating to open his mouth.
“I’m not going to tell anyone,” Xu Qing said. “Don’t worry.” Giving Wu Jianwu a long look, he turned and became a bright beam of light that shot off into the distance.
***
Wu Jianwu remained standing there alone, looking depressed and wondering if he’d handled everything correctly.
After a long moment passed, he gritted his teeth.
Stop overthinking things. Xu Qing is overbearing, but I’m pretty sure he’s the kind of person who keeps his word. Worst case scenario... I’ll just stay away from the sect for a while. I’m not going to give up until the little ones are born!
Wu Jianwu had clearly been deeply affected by the defeat at the hands of Master Shengyun. Eyes bloodshot, he turned and went back into the cave to take care of the beasts with the swollen bellies.
***
It was late. The moon hung high over Forbidden by the Phoenix, making the trees seem like evil ghosts. Strange howls mingled with the shrieking of beasts.
Xu Qing sped through the pitch black jungle, leaping through the trees at top speed. He had no intention of spreading rumors about Wu Jianwu.
In this chaotic world, different people had their own way of living, and though Wu Jianwu apparently had some very strange hobbies, it wasn’t Xu Qing’s business. What was more, Wu Jianwu had taken him to that immortal ice. There were all kinds of weird things in the big, wide world.
Wu Jianwu is definitely up to something big, though. Shaking his head, Xu Qing cleared his thoughts and eventually found a tree hollow he could stay in for the night. After checking the area for safety, he set up some defenses, then crawled inside.
Once secure, he took out the immortal ice he’d harvested.
Enough time had passed that much of the immortal ice had melted. Based on what Wu Jianwu had said, it wouldn’t last much more than about two hours.
Taking out a bottle, he opened it and released the beetles onto the immortal ice. They immediately started feeding. As he observed them eating, he didn’t see anything special happening. However, he let the beetles devour all of it.
After it was gone, Xu Qing observed the beetles for a short time, then put them back into the bottle, then put a special mark on the bottle. Maybe after they had time to digest the immortal ice, something would happen.
Having accomplished that, Xu Qing took out the stone he’d acquired with the divine resonance of the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber. As he sought enlightenment from it, the image of a slashing saber appeared to him.
A tremor passed through him and he closed his eyes.
And thus, the night passed.
The next morning at dawn, he opened his eyes. The first thing he did was look down at the stone.
This stone gave me a much deeper understanding of the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber. Xu Qing was very pleased at how much he’d benefitted. Next he checked on the beetles that had consumed the immortal ice. Based on his blood connection to them, he could sense that the beetles were in a state similar to drunkenness. They weren’t moving around very much. However, their auras were changing.
Xu Qing was excited about that. However, he couldn’t tell what specifically about them was changing. For now, he didn’t want to disturb them. Putting the bottle away, he made sure to take note of the location of the lake, then crawled out of the tree hollow and continued on his way.
His plan was to go to the ruins of the Supreme Vastness daoist temple and see if he could find a destined opportunity to gain enlightenment of a second saber move. If that didn’t work, he would continue studying the stone he had found.
The edge of the stone is sharp, similar to a saber. It must be connected to the Supreme Vastness daoist temple. Maybe it’s part of a divine likeness!
Ten days passed.
Xu Qing kept traveling the entire time. Occasionally he would stop to harvest poisonous plants or other items. He kept a close eye on the beetles that had consumed the immortal ice. They still seemed to be in a dormant state.
How long is it going to last? If he wasn’t able to sense that they were alive, he probably would have assumed they were dead. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
Further ahead, past a downward slope, he spotted some ruins. It looked like an old city that had long since been sinking into oblivion.
It was currently noon, and the bright sunlight shone through the leafy canopy, creating a mottled atmosphere as Xu Qing sped through the trees.
As he looked at the ruined city, the dappled sunlight made the place look incredibly ancient. From his current position, he was able to spot a magnificent temple in the middle of the city. He could only make out the basic shape of the structure, but could already tell that it was profoundly ancient.
“Finally here,” he murmured, then sped down toward the ruins.
After enough time passed for half an incense stick to burn, he was in the ruins.
***
A vast distance away, near the Forbidden Sea on the Revered Ancient mainland, a shocking event played out that shook heaven and earth. It was something so dramatic it caused astonishment among all of the powerful groups in the Emperor-Receiving Prefecture.
For the first time in two hundred years, the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect of the Seven Sect Coalition activated their taboo magical treasure!
Apparently, they were planning to absolutely exterminate Seven Blood Eyes!
Seven days previous, the Seven Sect Coalition yet again sent orders to Seven Blood Eyes, only to have Sir Bloodsmelter drag things out and not follow instructions.
One day previous, the highest authoritative body in the Seven Sect Coalition, their senate, passed a measure to deal with the situation. Then they sent an envoy to Seven Blood Eyes to explain.
According to the measure, Sir Bloodsmelter and the seven peaklords had one day to report to the coalition for punishment. If they didn’t comply, then Seven Blood Eyes would be destroyed, and all disciples from there would be executed.
All nonhumans and visitors to Seven Blood Eyes had three days to leave, otherwise they would be punished along with the sect.
It caused a huge stir. Many nonhuman visitors packed up and left, as did everyone who had come from the Seven Sect Coalition. As for Seven Blood Eyes, everything suddenly seemed very unstable, and everyone was trembling in anxiety.
The next day, when Sir Bloodsmelter still refused to follow orders... the Seven Sect Coalition was enraged, and the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect unleashed their taboo magical treasure.
A blood-red beam of light shot out of the Seven Sect Coalition, rising into midair to create a blood-colored seed. Then... it shot to the north!
Except, Seven Blood Eyes was to the south, not the north!
Within the Emperor-Receiving Prefecture, there was a mountain range and a river that intersected to divide the prefecture into east, west, south and north. The mountains were called the Supreme Arbiter Salvation Mountains, and the river was the Everlasting Immortal Profundity River.
The Supreme Arbiter Salvation Mountains connected the south and the north, while the Everlasting Immortal Profundity River connected east and west. In the middle, where they met, which was also the very center of the Emperor-Receiving Prefecture, there was a sect.
That sect was the Young Arbiter Sect. The Young Arbiter Sect didn’t have many direct dealings with the Supreme Arbiter Immortal Society. However, everyone knew that the Young Arbiter Sect had been set up by the Supreme Arbiter Immortal Society to keep the Seven Sect Coalition in check, sort of like a henchman.
The sect headquarters of the Young Arbiter Sect was a huge dam that impeded a tributary of the Everlasting Immortal Profundity River that should have eventually reached the Seven Sect Coalition’s port. That blockage caused problems for the Seven Sect Coalition when it came to purging mutagen from spirit energy, and had a big negative influence on the coalition.
To the Seven Sect Coalition, the Young Arbiter Sect was like a fish bone stuck in the throat. They had repeatedly requested that the dam be opened, but the Supreme Arbiter Immortal Society always intervened and made harsh demands.
The Seven Sect Coalition couldn’t target the Young Arbiter Sect militarily unless they were confident they could defeat them instantly. Otherwise, any such efforts would be foiled. Furthermore, because of the delicate balance of power, it wasn’t possible to power up a taboo magical treasure without everyone becoming suspicious.
Other groups in the area were more than happy to see humans fighting each other, and did everything they could to stir up trouble in that regard. When the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect powered up their taboo magical treasure, and used it to create a blood-colored seed, they were actually targeting... the Young Arbiter Sect! The blood-colored seed moved with incredible speed, piercing across a vast distance to land right in the middle of the Young Arbiter Sect.
The Seven Sect Coalition had obviously been pretending to advance along one path while secretly going along another.
Though it had seemed that tensions with Seven Blood Eyes had been growing, the reality was that it was a smokescreen! They had just needed an excuse to activate their taboo, and thus get rid of that fish bone stuck in the throat!
As soon as the blood-colored seed landed, a massive gruish blood tree sprouted up in the middle of the Young Arbiter Sect. The tree pulsed, causing a vast number of cultivators in the Young Arbiter Sect to die instantly. As their blood was sucked into the tree, the survivors were seriously injured, and blood sprayed out of their mouths. The tree pulsed again, sending out heaven-rending, earth-crushing power, crushing the ground, and causing countless structures to collapse. That included the dam.
Without the blockage of the dam, the waters of the Everlasting Immortal Profundity River flowed through the Supreme Arbiter Salvation Mountains without anything to stop them. The third pulse of the tree caused flowers to bloom all over it. At the same time, an ancient voice spoke from within.
“The Young Arbiter Sect killed disciples of our coalition. The evidence is clear. The Young Arbiter Sect shall be wiped out of existence!”
Blood-colored light rose into the dome of heaven, creating a spell formation. Within it, over a hundred figures appeared, all of them bursting with astonishing auras and towering killing intent!
All of it happened too quickly.
In order to intimidate Seven Blood Eyes earlier, the Seven Sect Coalition had activated three of their sects’ taboo magical treasures. At this moment, only the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect activated their taboo magical treasures. But then, an instant later, all six of the other sects also did the same. In the blink of an eye, the sky above the Seven Sect Coalition completely transformed.
Everything under heaven shook violently!
1. The Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan was originally described in chapters 207 and 210. ☜