Chapter 841: Be Wary of Scams
After Tuo Shishan’s short soliloquy, he took a big drink of alcohol.
The nine figures bowed, then stood aside motionless. All of them were completely willing to follow this young lord’s lead. Whether it was his personality, or the way he handled himself, the things they had been through together ensured that he had earned their respect.
For instance, after learning that Xu Qing had more forbidden mountains than him, he could have called on the power of his clan to get a few more mountains for himself. In fact, even without calling on the powers of his clan, he could have relied on his reputation alone to have forbidden mountains literally handed over to him by others. If he had given the order, his nine subordinates could have used all sorts of methods to intercept Xu Qing and cause trouble for him. But they knew that their young lord disdained behavior like that. He was obviously interested in this human named Xu Qing, and was waiting for him here. He wanted to win the title of champion in an honest and above-board manner.
The nine of them weren’t worried about Tuo Shishan losing. As far as they were concerned, their young lord could crush someone like Crown Prince Brightsouth with hardly any effort. The Darkheaven bloodline was extraordinary to say the least.
Thus, time passed. Around the time Tuo Shishan finished his seventh jug of alcohol, bright beams of light appeared off in the distance.
Three people became visible.
Tuo Shishan looked up and burped. Eyes glittering with strange light, he smiled.
“They’re finally here,” he said.
Xu Qing spotted Tuo Shishan on the mountain top.
The Captain’s expression turned serious. “Little Junior Brother, this person... is no simpleton. Given the fluctuations of his energy and blood, it’s clear his fleshly body has reached the great circle of Void-Returning. Looks like his cultivation base is the same.
“He’s only half a step away from being a Smoldering God! Based on my understanding of Firemoon Darkheaven techniques, cultivators like this prefer to use the blood of godly entities to open up the path to becoming a god!”
Xu Qing had also noticed that this young Firemoon cultivator with his jug of alcohol was an extraordinary individual. His gaze was piercing, and his aura was like a scorching volcano. Xu Qing could already guess the rough level of his battle prowess. He had clearly placed himself in Xu Qing’s path on purpose, as if to wait for him. Beyond that, he had more than 900 forbidden mountains. His goal was self-evident.
“That’s Tuo Shishan!” said Master Gravesparrow, stifling a gasp.
After accomplishing the mission Xu Qing had given him before the fight with Crown Prince Brightsouth, he had met back up and continued along with Xu Qing. As a result, he knew full well how terrifying this human cultivator was. The death of Crown Prince Brightsouth had been quite a shock to him. At first, he had been worried about the potential ramifications, but at this point, he’d stopped caring. That said, his calm heart was now more than a little disturbed.
“He’s one of the top five chosen among the Firemoon Darkheaven people. Specifically, he ranks fourth! He’s from the Darkheaven Clan. He was gifted even as a child, and was born with godly power. He was blessed on five occasions by the Moonfire Temple, and High God Moonfire even promised to make him a dharma protector after he becomes a Smoldering God. He... is one of the shining stars of this generation among us Firemoon Darkheavens!”
Although Xu Qing was taking the situation seriously, his facial expression didn’t change at all in response to Master Gravesparrow’s explanation. Not slowing down at all, he headed right toward the mountain atop which Tuo Shishan waited.
Tuo Shishan had fewer forbidden mountains than him, and God Mountain was so close that it was conceivable he could simply rush there and reach the finish line first. But there was no point in doing that.
The mountain trembled as Xu Qing landed right in front of Tuo Shishan.
The Captain and Master Gravesparrow landed right behind Xu Qing.
The Captain then projected a message to Xu Qing using a special divine will method. “His nine attendants are no simpletons either. When you start fighting, just buy me some time and I’ll capture them. Then, after you win your forbidden mountains, you can head straight toward God Mountain.”
Xu Qing scanned the area visually, then focused on Tuo Shishan, who was still sitting on the boulder.
Tuo Shishan smiled and tossed him a jug of alcohol. Somewhat surprised, Xu Qing sent out some soul threads to catch the jug and keep it floating in the air in front of him. The fragrance of alcohol emerged from it. Given Xu Qing’s skill in the dao of plants and vegetation, he was able to identify the key ingredients. It had obviously been brewed with the goal of bolstering the flesh and blood. Drinking it would provide both recovery and blessing to the fleshly body.
“I never liked Crown Prince Brightsouth,” Tuo Shishan said. “The fact that you killed him shows that you’re strong and daring. I’d like to offer this jug of alcohol to you as a gift.”
Tuo Shishan raised his own jug respectfully to Xu Qing, then took a drink.
Xu Qing stood there quietly for a moment. This Firemoon chosen was different from the others he had encountered on his journey. However, that didn’t mean he would casually drink the alcohol.
Tuo Shishan didn’t seem offended. After finishing his drink, he slowly stood. Eyes gleaming, he unleashed his aura, causing wild colors to flash in heaven and earth. Winds swept around him, forming a tempest like a tornado that swept in all directions. The canopy of heaven trembled as a huge vortex formed, filled with shocking bolts of lightning.
Because of the close proximity to God Mountain, the supernatural phenomena immediately attracted the attention of the cultivators there. Numerous figures flew out from there, and streams of divine will settled on the area as they waited to see what would happen.
Xu Qing’s eyes shone with mysterious light as soul threads spread to form a god state around him. His energy also shook the area.
Tuo Shishan’s eyes glittered with excitement as he studied Xu Qing’s god state. After muttering to himself briefly, he said, “Let’s first set the rules and the stakes. Whoever loses the fight between the two of us gets to keep one forbidden mountain. All the others are up for grabs.”
Xu Qing was even more surprised. It was now very clear that this Firemoon cultivator was definitely different from the others he had encountered.
“Furthermore, I think an ordinary fight wouldn’t be very interesting. I heard you have an extraordinary sealing magic. I also have a sealing method. What if we both use our sealing methods to trap each other? I’ll let you seal me, and you let me seal you. Then we’ll see which of us can break free first. The person who succeeds is the winner.”
Tuo Shishan looked at Xu Qing with bright eyes. After sensing Xu Qing’s aura, he got the sense that a fight between the two of them wouldn’t be easily resolved. Most importantly, he didn’t want to end up injured. After all, this was only the first round of the Great Hunt. He wanted to stay at his peak until the third round, which was when he should be able to get some very powerful godly blood.
As Xu Qing considered what to do, the Captain rubbed his chin and projected another message.
“Be wary of scams, little Ah Qing.”
As Xu Qing thought about it further, he came to the conclusion that the Captain’s idea from earlier was too unsafe. As for sealing magics....
“Let’s do it,” he said calmly. He pointed up into the sky, which rumbled as a majestic aura spread out. Then a huge cell block appeared. It started illusory, but rapidly turned corporeal, with energy that poured down like a waterfall, rapidly forming godly might. It was none other than D-132.
After it appeared, the entrance opened quietly. Strange cries and screams drifted out from inside. Its arrival attracted a lot of attention from the divine will of the observing cultivators.
Tuo Shishan studied it closely for a time before taking out a three-colored pearl. The pearl glittered as it floated out into the air, rapidly growing larger until it was 300 meters across. It pulsed with sealing power, and was covered with glittering godly inscriptions. It seemed to contain intersecting darkness and light that expanded into a golden glow. Then a rift opened on the surface of the pearl, which expanded into a gateway.
“In that case, let’s begin.” Even as he spoke, Tuo Shishan shot toward the entrance of D-132.
Xu Qing also moved toward the opening in the three-colored pearl.
Though Tuo Shishan seemed to be acting rashly, the reality was that he moved in concert with Xu Qing. And thus, they both reached the sealed areas at the same time. An instant later, the entrance of D-132 closed, and the gateway into the three-colored pearl disappeared. They were now both confined in the sealing area created by the other.
Inside the three-colored pearl, Xu Qing found himself in a bizarre dimension. At first, everything around him was pitch black, as if it were the middle of the night. That darkness was actually a sealing mark. After breaking through it, a second color would appear. Black. White. Red. Each color represented a sealing mark. Upon breaking through all the colors, a three-colored hex would appear, which formed an even more terrifying sealing mark. Every intersection of the three colors would make the sealing even more powerful. The overall combination was astonishing.
Meanwhile, Tuo Shishan was facing misfortune and amnesia, plus the inmates and the god’s finger. From his perspective, it was both fantastic and extraordinary. After enough time had passed for an incense stick to burn, neither of them had broken free. Rumbling booms echoed out from inside both of the sealed areas.
An hour passed.... Two hours....
Tuo Shishan’s servants looked surprised. So did the Captain. He knew Xu Qing well, and thus came to the conclusion that for him to remain sealed for so long meant that he was up to something.
When the sixth hour arrived, the Captain’s expression flickered, and Tuo Shishan’s servants looked very serious. Although it was impossible to see what was happening inside the sealed areas, given how much time had gone by, it was obvious that breaking free was difficult.
Inside of D-132, Tuo Shishan could no longer remain calm and collected. His hair was disheveled, and he was completely broken-down. What was broken-down wasn’t his body, though, but rather, his mind. He had to work constantly to keep the misfortune at bay. But at the same time, he had to deal with the amnesia, which kept making him forget his main purpose. A feeling of nausea and embarrassment was becoming increasingly stronger within him.
The inmates were in good condition. He had suppressed and killed them numerous times already. As for the god’s finger, he hadn’t paid much attention to īt. As far as he was concerned, a god as weak as that wasn’t very noteworthy.
I might be having a tough time, but so is Xu Qing. Furthermore, there’s no way he can break free from my sealing. After the three-colored intersection reaches a certain point, he’ll find that the final obstacle is something that not even Smoldering Gods can break through. That’s my big gift to him.
Such thoughts were what kept Tuo Shishan stable despite the torment he was suffering. Breathing irregularly, eyes bloodshot, he kept the slaughter going. After ultimately suppressing the god’s finger, he gasped for breath as he strode toward the entrance that had just become visible. Walking out would constitute breaking free of the sealing. Tuo Shishan started laughing.
Meanwhile, Xu Qing was having just as difficult a time in the three-colored dimension. He had used just about every method he could think of, but there seemed no end to the three colors. Worse, they just seemed to get stronger and stronger. Although he was able to break through, the intersection of the three colors happened over and over again. After succeeding about three hundred times, he spotted a figure seated cross-legged up ahead.
Xu Qing stopped in place.
“Smoldering God!”
Astonishingly, the final obstacle in this three-colored dimension was the soul of a Smoldering God. He looked like an old man, and he was guarding this place. Without his approval, no one weaker than a Smoldering God would be able to leave.
“With me here, you won’t be going anywhere,” he said coolly, opening his eyes and looking at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing didn’t say anything.
Meanwhile, back in D-132, Tuo Shishan stood in front of the entrance. Above the doorway in front of him was a sphere. It was... an ancient sun connected to the door. If the door was opened, the power of a Dawning Sun would explode out.
Upon recognizing what he was looking at, Tuo Shishan stared blankly for a moment, then gritted his teeth and cursed, “How freaking vicious!!”