Chapter 293: Light!
Xu Qing’s words, and the look on his face, provoked a very unsightly expression on Master Shengyun. Killing intent burned in his eyes. His hatred and revulsion for Xu Qing had reached the ultimate level. Specifically, he hated people like this who had killed countless enemies, and also used lowdown methods like poisons, or extinguishing dharma apertures.
How could someone like that possibly provoke brilliant light from the Darkspirit Everwill Door?
That fact alone was a huge blow to Master Shengyun, and left him trembling inside. He had always thought of himself as the superlative example of radiance and light. After all, that was the meaning behind his given name Shengyun. Yet ironically, the Darkspirit Everwill Door produced a noxious, slathering tongue when used on him.
Back when he saw the door produce that incredible light, it had seemed so absurd that he could hardly believe it. It had also caused deep hatred for Xu Qing to form in his heart.[1]
And thus, Xu Qing’s words filled him with revulsion, and caused his eyes to burn with killing intent. His five life flames raged, and the ravagemist bird behind him let out a piercing cry. Six-flame battle prowess raged as the golden crow flickered in his right eye, giving him boundless life force. All of his assets put him very close to the level of seven life flames, and also made him absolutely confident in being able to kill Xu Qing.
What was more, his grandfather had placed a sealing mark in him, making it impossible for anyone to trifle with his dharma apertures. And thanks to the golden crow, he didn’t have to worry about that dangerous poison Xu Qing had used. All of his advance preparation made Master Shengyun sure that nothing could possibly go wrong. Though losing a life lamp had reduced his battle prowess, he was still stronger than his opponent.
With a cold harrumph, he raised his right hand, palm toward the sky, and loudly said, “Five Flame Radiant Divine Canopy!”
The moment the words left his mouth, five blood-colored swords emerged from within him. Each of them seemed sharper than the one before it, and each radiated a brilliant blood-colored glow. Astonishingly, close examination revealed that those five streams of sword energy were Master Shengyun’s five life flames!
The sword energy stained the sky the color of blood, causing the clouds to roil for 3,000 meters in all directions.
Eventually, the five beams of light formed five fingers, which began to fall from above the clouds. First the nails pierced through the clouds, then the skin, and then the knuckles. Eventually, all five fingers could be seen, rumbling toward Xu Qing on Mount Dark Dao!
The disciples gathered around the mountain to watch the fight were all visibly shocked. All of them could sense the terrifying power of the fingers. It was a pressure that would weigh down on any Foundation Establishment cultivator. This was the great circle of five life flames, and the intense fluctuations and killing spirit were all focused directly on Xu Qing.
For the first time, Xu Qing’s expression flickered slightly. However, it wasn’t because of Master Shengyun’s battle prowess. Instead, it was because of the fact that he could sense another aura in the clouds above, something different from the five fingers. That aura didn’t seem to have anything to do with cultivation base, and it was hard for him to identify exactly what it was. It seemed to be some sort of will.
Xu Qing wasn’t the only one to react with surprise. The old-timers and top experts in the various sects all reacted with shining eyes. And Patriarch Soaring Cloud’s eyes positively glowed as he laughed uproariously.
“So, my grandson really does qualify to become an Ancient Emperor. This is the killing domain that results when you gain enlightenment of the great circle of five life flames! Though it’s still slightly lacking, it still contains a great will. It’s very close to being a will domain. And it’s certainly enough to destabilize everything around him. Excellent. Most excellent!”
In the Dark Serenity Sect, Arch-Immortal Plumdark had just taken another sip of her lotus seed soup when her eyes flashed.
Master Shengyun really does have amazing aptitude. No wonder Ol’ Soaring Cloud paid so much to get a golden crow clone for him. And no wonder my profit-obsessed Elder Brother agreed to do it.
Everything shook violently as the five fingers of life flame sword energy, filled with Master Shengyun’s will and killing intent, got closer to Mount Dark Dao.
Xu Qing looked up. He had to admit that, whether in this fight or the previous one, Master Shengyun was a formidable opponent who had terrifying aptitude. Of even greater significance was the fact that he hadn’t given up after losing his life lamp. Instead, he actually got stronger. That wasn’t something ordinary people could accomplish.
Xu Qing looked up silently at the five fingers. Then he threw his hand up into the air, and a black fog started spreading out beneath his feet.
It quickly covered all of Mount Dark Dao, spreading relentlessly to create a dense sea. It soon covered an area of 3,000 meters.
Up above were blood-colored clouds. Down below was a black sea of fog.
Xu Qing performed an incantation gesture with his right hand, then pointed toward the dome of heaven. The black fog suddenly surged as a withered finger appeared and started moving upward! Rumbling sounds echoed out with deafening loudness. This was Xu Qing’s grue art, the Dark Serenity Curse.
What was more, the finger had a scrap of the enlightenment Xu Qing had acquired from the heavenly spike. Though that enlightenment wasn’t complete, even just a bit of it made the Dark Serenity Curse technique even more dangerous. That increased level of danger was minute, such that an ordinary cultivator wouldn’t detect it. But people in the patriarch level would notice the clues. Instantly, Patriarch Soaring Cloud’s expression turned unsightly. In contrast, Sir Bloodsmelter threw his head back and laughed.
“Well, isn’t this interesting,” Arch-Immortal Plumdark said, smiling faintly as she took a sip of broth.
Deafening rumbling sounds echoed out as Xu Qing’s Dark Serenity Curse clashed with Master Shengyun’s Five Flame Divine Radiance Canopy. Even from a distance, it was a shocking sight. Massive, 3,000-meter-long fingers of blood descended, while 3,000 meters of black fog rose from below.
Master Shengyun shivered as his Five Flame Divine Radiance Canopy collapsed. As the blood-colored light shattered, blood sprayed out of his mouth.
Xu Qing also gasped for breath as his Dark Serenity Curse collapsed, sending black fog spilling out everywhere. Eyes narrowing to conceal a sinister coldness, he bit the tip of his tongue, spat out some blood, and shot backward.
As for Master Shengyun, his right eye blazed with the light of the golden crow, which healed all of his wounds. Shooting in pursuit of Xu Qing, he raised his right hand and pushed down on his chest. Unexpectedly, a long, blood-colored sword emerged from within him. It was a dark red color, and it pulsed with energy and blood. At the same time, it had an acrid aroma, and clearly contained something poisonous.
Xu Qing wasn’t unfamiliar with that poison; it had the aura of his own poison pills. This sword had been created with the help of Master Shengyun’s grandfather, during the time in which he suffered in agony thanks to Xu Qing’s poison. During the entire process, he had visualized himself using that sword to cut down Xu Qing.
Now that the blood sword was in the open, Master Shengyun’s expression twisted viciously. The ravagemist bird appeared behind him, and the golden crow flickered in his right eye. Then, with speed that surpassed anything from before, he shot toward Xu Qing with the sword outstretched.
In the blink of an eye, the sword was about to stab into Xu Qing’s chest.
Xu Qing put an unsightly expression onto his face as he raced toward the edge of Mount Dark Dao, as if he were trying to make an escape.
However, Master Shengyun aggressively closed the gap between them.
Based on Xu Qing’s calculations, it didn’t seem like it was the right moment to reveal his true strength and try to devour the ravagemist bird, much less try to kill Master Shengyun. He still needed to wait for the right opportunity. Therefore, he performed a double-handed incantation gesture, resulting in balefire exploding out. Spirit seas erupted from 119 dharma of his apertures, creating a shocking and terrifying force. At the same time, his life lamps also offered protection.
Booms rang out as Xu Qing’s defensive barriers collapsed one after another. Again, he was forced back. However, Master Shengyun had trouble dealing with the backlash, and was also forced in the opposite direction.
In fact, as Master Shungyun backed up, Xu Qing’s eyes glittered coldly, and he waved his hand to scatter some poison powder! He had already laced the area with over a hundred types of poison. All of that had been in preparation to release the poison catalyst. As soon as he did, poison exploded in the area. Even with Master Shengyun’s terrifying ability to restore life force, he was still infected. Though it wasn’t fatal, all of the negative side effects hit at the same time, causing Master Shengyun’s face to fall. Blood sprayed out of his mouth as his skin turned greenish-black, and his mutagen levels skyrocketed.
Then Xu Qing blurred into motion, racing toward Master Shengyun.
Master Shengyun immediately raised his defenses, threw his blood sword through the air, and performed an incantation gesture and pointed out. The sword detonated, creating a sea of blood that swept toward Xu Qing.
It was a delaying tactic that allowed Master Shengyun to put some distance between himself and Xu Qing. During that time, he realized that the negative effects of the poison weren’t going to be dispelled by the life force within him. Looking grimmer than ever, he waved his hand again, causing dense mist to surround the area, making outsiders incapable of seeing what was happening.
Then he took out a black piece of wood. This was the same piece of wood he had used back on the continent of South Phoenix to summon the Darkspirit Everwill Door. However, the piece of wood seemed a bit bigger than before.
When he threw it down, the piece of wood wriggled, and then the same pitch-black wooden door appeared in front of him.
The gruish black door emanated a sinister aura, and yet, no one on the outside could see exactly what was happening. Master Shengyun had intentionally prevented people from observing, as he didn’t want to reveal that disgusting tongue. The door cracked open, and the noxious-smelling tongue appeared, dripping with disgusting fluid as it wrapped around Master Shengyun. Instantly, all of the poison within him sprayed out of his mouth in a cloud of blood.
Seeing that, Xu Qing burst into motion, heading right toward Master Shengyun. He raised his right hand, and his cultivation base erupted as wave after wave appeared, pulsing with terrifying might.
Nine tsunami waves converged and smashed toward Master Shengyun. Master Shengyun’s eyes narrowed, and the unsightly expression that had covered his face transformed into something sinister.
Looking at Xu Qing, he said, “I finally fooled you, Xu Qing. None of what I did before was important. I went all out to ensorcell my Darkspirit Everwill Door, allowing it to unleash a second ability! Be sealed!”
Eyes shining with greed, he laughed and waved his hand. Instantly, the massive pitch-black door shifted to face Xu Qing, and then... it opened!
As it did, a beam of light erupted from within!
***
In the Dark Serenity Sect, a bowl of lotus seed soup slipped out of a hand as fair as jade, and landed onto the white tile floor below.[2]
1. It was in chapter 257 that Master Shengyun used the Darkspirit Everwill Door on Xu Qing. ☜
2. If you’re confused about this last line, you might want to re-read the last line of the previous chapter, or for more details, the ending scene of chapter 279. ☜