Chapter 687: Golden Crow and Heavenly Rhino; Imperial-Class Faceoff
Something else that the river of time swept over were all the living beings present. If there were a pair of eyes belonging to a god that were located high above and could look down, those eyes would see a river of time that contained the island, the statue of the Imperial Sovereign, and innumerable cultivators.
All were inside, unmoving. For everyone, time had been stopped right then and there. They were neither alive nor dead, as they were locked in place just like the time in the area.
But there were nine cultivators who were exceptions: the Heir Apparent and his four siblings, Li Xiaoshan, Madam Godfinch, Chen Erniu, and Xu Qing. They weren’t affected at all.
When the great door of ancient time opened, Princess Brightblossom used her taboo magic to send them into the past times of the godchild, each one to a different node.
In order to ensure their success, each person was sent to an ancient time period that correlated to their own cultivation base. For example, the Captain went to the time node in which the godchild broke through from Gold Core to Nascent Soul. Li Xiaoshan went to the point when the godchild went from Spirit Trove into Void Returning. Madam Godfinch went to the point when the godchild broke through to Smoldering God. Xu Qing was sent to the node where the godchild broke out of Nascent Soul and into Spirit Trove.
If they could cut down the godchild in those nodes, then they would vanquish the ceremony and cause the godfire to extinguish itself. The reason that each node was related to the early stage of a cultivation level was that it was a requirement of the godly ascension ceremony. The godchild needed the power of time from those specific siblings’ breakthroughs.
That power of time was actually the first step of his ceremony. The second step was to combine those different times and break through from a weak spot to a strong one. It was a snowball effect. Starting in Qi Condensation and proceeding through the fourteen nodes, invincible energy would be gathered. In the end, all of that power from the different siblings would converge, break through time, and complete the final step of the godly ascension ceremony. That was his method to smoothly become a god!
The technique was different from Crimson Mother’s godly ascension ceremony. However, it was just as miraculous, such that ordinary people could never hope to succeed at it.
Unfortunately, the Heir Apparent and the other siblings had shown up, causing the godchild’s ceremony to shift in an unexpected way. Rumbling sounds filled heaven and earth as the river seethed. Foamy waves provided glimpses of antiquity. The Heir Apparent and the other siblings were visible in it, as was the Captain.
Carried by one of the crashing waves, Xu Qing, who had just vanished from outside, popped into being. He immediately rotated his cultivation base and looked around vigilantly. He was in an unfamiliar world. The sky was sunny and cloudless. The never-ending blue color imparted a sense of freeness and relaxation. A wind blew, carrying with it the sweet fragrance of plants and vegetation. There was a sense of life that seemed capable of seeping deep into one’s heart and mind. Everything was verdant, with lush vegetation and strong spirit energy. In some places, the spirit energy was so strong it formed a visible mist, which made the entire world seem like an immortal paradise. Spirit beasts frolicked everywhere, and immortal birds soared in the air. Everything seemed natural and harmonious. There were rivers visible, with clear waters and fat fish jumping here and there.
This world was like a garden the likes of which Xu Qing had never seen in his entire life. He lived in a world full of mutagen. It was the dwelling place of gods, where the spirit energy was poisonous and living beings live lives as tragic as livestock. This place was different.
Xu Qing looked up into the dome of heaven.
“The broken face of the god...” he murmured. The monstrous, colossal face that existed in his memories as far back as they went... was not here! This was before the broken face of the god arrived.
This node is before the Revered Ancient mainland experienced catastrophe. This was when Ancient Emperor Dark Serenity ruled all of Revered Ancient, and humans... were the top species in existence.
Xu Qing started moving. He needed to find the location where the godchild was experiencing a breakthrough. As he moved forward, some of the immortal birds flew past him, then started circling around him. They seemed friendly. All of the spirit beasts acted like that. When they saw Xu Qing, they would let loose amiable cries that almost seemed like worship. It was because he was human.
Xu Qing’s heart started to pound as he realized that, then thought about how humans had such a contemptible place in the outside world. Everything in this node of time was different. The mountains were green and the waters were blue. The spirit beasts and immortal birds were all peaceful and auspicious.
Xu Qing looked around. He was sorely tempted to just look around at what the world was like before the catastrophe. However, he understood that it was far more important to cut down the godchild. Taking a deep breath, he blurred into motion. With no metal sphere on him, he was capable of astonishing speeds. He sent out divine sense to search for his target, and also had the shadow spread out. After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Xu Qing suddenly stopped in place and looked to the east.
“There!”
In that direction, he could sense Spirit Trove fluctuations.
Without any hesitation, Xu Qing shot in that direction like a bolt of lightning. In the blink of an eye, he traveled 500 kilometers, until he saw a huge low-lying basin up ahead. It was about 50 kilometers from one side to the other, and appeared to have been formed when some massive extraterrestrial rock slammed into the ground. It was surrounded by crevices snaking out in all directions. In the middle of the basin was a gigantic black rhinoceros.
The rhino was massive, and was imbued with a spirit that could conquer mountains and rivers. It emanated terrifying fluctuations as it threw its head back and let loose a long cry, a deafening sound like metal scraping on rock that caused ripples to flow out in all directions, and auspicious light to descend and cover the rhino over like armor. It was just barely possible to see a secret trove within the rhino’s body.
The rhino detected Xu Qing’s arrival, and turned to face him. Steam shot out of its nostrils as it looked at him coldly.
The two of them locked gazes.
To Xu Qing, this rhino was illusory. He could see that, deep within it was a young man clad in a black robe. He was handsome, with a cold expression, and he emanated a sensation of danger. What was more, he was surrounded by a river of time. That river wasn’t his. Rather, it was the manifestation of Princess Brightblossom’s taboo magic.
“Insect,” the black-robed young man said, waving his finger at Xu Qing.
The black rhino roared and then rapidly grew larger. When it was fully 30,000 meters from end to end, it started charging toward Xu Qing like a meteor. Heaven and earth shook violently as a terrifying aura exploded from the rhino, filled with mountain-toppling, sea-draining power.
This was an imperial-class technique! And it was mightier than any imperial-class technique Xu Qing had ever seen.
Xu Qing had just broken through from Nascent Soul to Spirit Trove, making him confident to deal with just about any other person. But this person was the son of an Imperial Sovereign. It didn’t matter that his cultivation base was the same as Xu Qing’s. There was no way Xu Qing was going to be careless. That said, he didn’t shrink back either. His eyes shone with the desire to do battle. He wanted to know which of them was stronger, given the reserve powers he had accumulated on his path of cultivation.
As the battle spirit within him surged, he raised his right hand and performed an incantation gesture. He waved his finger, and the golden crow tattoo started burning. Then a piercing cry could be heard as the golden crow flew out into the open. It had a thousand tails spread out in all directions, and a black body that emanated terrifying might. Burning flames created a sea of fire around it as it shot directly toward the rhinoceros.
Flames blasted out in all directions as the black rhino closed in on the golden crow. As it arrived, it found a thousand razor-sharp tails waiting for it. At the same time, the golden crow opened its mouth and used its spirit-assimilation powers to suck in everything around it.
A tremor passed through the black rhino. At the same time, the Imperial Sovereign’s fourth son frowned slightly from his spot in the middle of the basin. He snorted coldly.
“Howling Moon!”
Black light erupted from the rhino, turning into a black hole around it. Throwing its head back, it roared and shook off the golden crow. The sky shook as a white moon formed above, connecting to it and destroying everything around it. The golden crow had no choice but to fall back. This was the essence of the imperial-class technique of the Imperial Sovereign’s fourth son. It was called Heavenly Rhino Roars at the Moon. Normally speaking, it wasn’t common for people to develop an imperial-class to this level. That was especially true for people who were only in Spirit Trove.
Next, Xu Qing calmly performed an incantation gesture, which caused the golden crow to wither rapidly. Its flesh and blood disappeared, and in its place was revealed a long, black spear. As it formed, wild colors flashed in heaven and earth, and thunderous rumbling sounds echoed from above, like the cry of a heavenly dao. The sound echoed out across the entire area, as if to declare that the spear wasn’t allowed to come. The spear came anyway.
Xu Qing had also gained enlightenment of the essence of his imperial-class technique.
The Imperial Sovereign’s fourth son had a very serious expression on his face. Even more surprising to him was that the destructive power of the spear slammed right into the black rhino.
The white moon blocked the attack, but it wasn’t enough. A deafening boom rang out as concentric white halos shattered. The moon collapsed, and the spear stabbed right into the rhino. Entering its forehead, it pierced through its entire body and impaled it to the ground.
The rhino howled in anguish. The ground shook. The battle spirit in Xu Qing’s eyes soared, and he started walking toward the Imperial Sovereign’s fourth son. Meanwhile, a cold gleam appeared in the fourth son’s eyes.
“Well, isn’t this interesting.”
Meanwhile, Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior was speaking to Xu Qing internally.
“Milord, based on all the novels I’ve read, people who talk as pretentiously as this are usually big villains that are destined to be defeated. Our victory is assured! Keep it up, milord!”
The patriarch was actually feeling relatively helpless. He got the feeling that if he didn’t shine soon, he was going to be turned into cannon fodder. Therefore, he had been wracking his brains trying to come up with ways to show how important he was.
Ignoring him, Xu Qing shot toward the basin with astounding speed.
The Imperial Sovereign’s fourth son was also capable of incredible speed. Suddenly shooting up into the air, he dodged Xu Qing, then shoved his hand into the sky and made a grasping gesture. Then he pulled with full force, tearing open a rift in the canopy of heaven. Black smoke poured out of it, within which was a black rattle-drum. It had two drum faces, one decorated with an evil ghost, the other with an image of countless species wailing in agony. It was very gruish. [1]
It descended, and the Imperial Sovereign’s fourth son grabbed it. Then it erupted with an ink-like energy that corroded everything it touched. It even affected spirit energy, causing it to undulate wildly. He waved it casually, and the thunking sound of the drum echoed out. Wherever the sound went, living things withered. It was a poison curse magic.
“How amusing,” Xu Qing said calmly, his eyes turning black.
Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior gasped and was about to warn Xu Qing to watch his words. But then he changed his mind.
“When you talk like that, milord, it’s completely different. The feeling isn’t the same at all. Let’s shatter the common perceptions and win this thing!”
1. Traditional Chinese rattle-drums looklike this . ☜