Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 855: Looks Like a Fourth God

A sea of blood filled the dome of heaven, covering the sky, and turning everything red. From a distance, it looked like an impending apocalypse. Within that sea of blood was a figure in black, tall and imposing, and pulsing with an arrogant spirit that could conquer mountains and rivers.

Down in the rainforest, Xu Qing’s aura couldn’t compare at all. The mere pressure he felt caused his head to spin. Every fiber of muscle and flesh quivered with an intense sensation of deadly crisis. At the same time, his heavenly dao was screaming to him that this enemy was strong. Very strong! This was the strongest chosen Xu Qing had ever faced.

Neither Tuo Shishan nor Fan Shishuang imparted a sensation like this. The former he had defeated. The latter he could probably fight to a draw. But Xu Qing knew without a doubt… that he wasn’t a match for Master Stillwinter.

Therefore, he backed up, fully unleashed his cultivation base, and sent countless soul threads spreading out to form his fourth-level god state. Then he fled at top speed.

“You’re smart,” Master Stillwinter said coolly. “But the moment you saw me, you lost the qualifications to stay alive.”

He waved his hand in Xu Qing’s direction. That motion caused the sky-obfuscating sea of blood to seethe. Waves raced as it expanded to a 500-kilometer area, all while closing in on Xu Qing.

The air shattered, and the lands shook. It was all centered around Xu Qing. Blood rain fell, staining the plants red and turning the mud into a gory sludge. Within the 500-kilometer area, everything howled in anguish. Beasts. Grues. They all melted into pools of blood, which rose up to join the blood sea.

From a distance, it looked like endless volumes of blood floating up to form a prison. Within the blood sea were hosts of shadowy, blood-colored figures who stared greedily at Xu Qing and let loose piercing howls. All it took was one move to shake heaven and earth, all while locking down the entire area.

A sensation of deadly crisis exploded in Xu Qing, causing his expression to turn grim. He knew that he’d been locked down, and thus abandoned thoughts of fleeing. The godsource of his fourth-level god state spread out, causing mutagen to flourish in the area.

Then, a chanting like that of a god drifted from Xu Qing’s mouth.

“Blood!”

It was one word. But as it echoed out, the sea of blood trembled, and the blood rain stopped. A massive force of attraction came along with Xu Qing’s blood authority, forming a powerful vortex around him. If the process was completed, he would be able to take control of the sea of blood.

“Nice authority,” Master Stillwinter said, his expression calm. “But what’s your limit?”

He waved his hand again, and the blood sea surged again. The shadowy figures inside all howled as they melted.

It was a terrifying scene that was shocking even to Xu Qing.

There were thousands of the shadowy, blood-colored figures, and after melting into blood, they made the surrounding sea even more astonishing. After having absorbed the shadowy figures, the blood sea spread out to a size of 3,000 kilometers. And it kept going.

3,500. 4,000. 4,500…. All the way to 5,000 kilometers.

A 5,000-kilometer blood sea raged. Its mere aura was full of destructive power, such that not even Xu Qing’s blood authority could possibly influence it. That was even truer considering that 5,000 kilometers wasn’t the limit. More blood-colored figures melted, and then it reached 10,000 kilometers.

15,000. 20,000…. After thousands of the shadowy, blood-colored figures melted, the blood sea reached the terrifying level of 50,000 kilometers. The blood rain spread in kind.

50,000 kilometers was a vast area. In fact, it was impossible to see from one end to the other. It really had supplanted the dome of heaven. And it continued to expand as it dropped down toward Xu Qing.

Xu Qing shivered as he sensed that he had reached his limit. His body was destabilizing, and pain wracked his soul. It was a moment of crisis, but thankfully, Xu Qing’s fighting intuition came in handy at exactly the right time. Eyes shining with determination, he gathered his blood authority close to him, where it became a blood-colored light, and then, a spinning vortex.

Within the vortex, he was also the color of blood. His body melted, collapsing into blood that splashed everywhere. Since he couldn’t fight back, he decided he might as well jump in head first.

The blood sea smashed into the ground. Intense rumbling echoed out for 500,000 kilometers in all directions. All Firemoon Darkheaven cultivators in the area could sense it. Shaken, they turned to look off into the distance.

The rainforest was incinerated. Plants, beasts, and grues were all exterminated. The ground shook as craters appeared, which filled in with blood. The 50,000 kilometers of blood was so boundless it changed the terrain.

At the same time, a host of blood droplets emerged from the sea and formed back into Xu Qing. The moment he appeared, blood sprayed out of his mouth, and his god state crumbled. Face turning pale, he rapidly fell back. At the last moment, he chose to merge with the sea of blood to save himself. But the power disparity was so immense that he still ended up being badly hurt.

“Thus it ends,” said a cold voice from just ahead of Xu Qing as he backed away.

A finger appeared near Xu Qing, packed with the power of extermination as it shot straight toward him.

Although Xu Qing was clearly in a very bad position, he remained calm and collected. He knew that every action was critical, and if he got alarmed, it could have severe consequences. Next, his eyes turned pitch black as taboo poison erupted from him, creating a boundless black mist that swept toward the incoming finger. Black spots immediately covered the finger, and it started to decay, slowing its momentum.

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But then a second finger appeared, coming from a different direction.

Seven flames appeared around Xu Qing, which went out one after another. It was none other than the Seven Lamps Underworld Fire Curse. As a result, the second finger crumbled before it could reach him.

Xu Qing fell back even faster than before.

An exclamation of surprise echoed out. Clearly, Master Stillwinter hadn’t been expecting Xu Qing to negate those fingers one after another so quickly.

“Well, isn’t this interesting?” he said with a soft laugh.

Next to appear in front of Xu Qing were not fingers. Instead, it was an entire blood-colored hand! Explosive energy swept out that surpassed anything from before, seemingly unstoppable. In fact… it contained Smoldering God power!

It ignored the taboo poison. It disregarded the underworld curse. And in the shortest of moments, it was the only thing in Xu Qing’s field of vision. An unprecedented sensation of death filled him!

He wanted to fight back, but was having a hard time holding himself together. He trembled as the last vestiges of his god state fell apart into countless soul threads. They quickly formed back together, but then collapsed again. Collapse, reform. Again and again. Eventually the soul threads couldn’t form anew. They dissipated, and Xu Qing’s true form was revealed, hovering there with his eyes closed.

Master Stillwinter waved aside the soul threads and shoved his hand toward Xu Qing.

Then Xu Qing’s eyes opened, revealing violet pupils. He had been waiting for this exact moment. Everything had been an attempt to weaken his opponent.

A violet moon appeared between Xu Qing and Master Stillwinter’s hand. It wasn’t illusory. It was material. It started out small, but then rapidly expanded until a stone stele was visible on it, upon which were carved the names of a host of believers.

At that moment, countless Violet Lord temples through the Nightspirit Region trembled. Innumerable believers there prostrated in worship, sending faith power out in the form of violet light. It all flickered into being right in front of Master Stillwinter in the Mountain and Sea Region.

The hand suddenly turned violet and stopped moving. He tried to pull it back, but it was too late. The rapidly expanding violet moon shot toward it with unstoppable force. They clashed, and a huge boom echoed out as the hand was sent flying backward.

Shock waves spread out, which revealed the outline of Master Stillwinter some distance away. As he appeared, his expression was one of surprise. He was about to unleash another palm attack, except the violet moonlight erupted blindingly, surrounding him.

Next, the soul threads that were the remains of his god state suddenly shot forth, not toward Xu Qing, but toward Master Stillwinter. Millions of them wrapped around him with restraining force.

All of this takes a bit of time to describe but happened in an instant. As Master Stillwinter was struck by the violet moon and then bound with soul threads, Xu Qing’s eyes flared with killing intent, and he thrust his hand toward Master Stillwinter.

Rumbling echoed out everywhere, along with ripples that resembled the mouth of a well. The well water rippled as a reflection of Master Stillwinter appeared there, along with all of his magical techniques, plus images of his past and future. It also showed Master Stillwinter’s soul!

There were even secrets that Master Stillwinter had never revealed to anyone. For example, his soul….

When Xu Qing saw it, his pupils constricted. Master Stillwinter didn’t have one soul inside of him. He had ninety-seven! And within every single soul was a golden god monument. Each of the ninety-seven god monuments featured a carving of a different figure. None looked the same, but all emanated the aura of a god.

Xu Qing was shaken to the core. The god monuments were carved with ninety-seven gods! One of them was the same divine likeness he had seen in the rainforest earlier! It made it seem to Xu Qing that Master Stillwinter was more like a receptacle for god monuments! Xu Qing wasn’t sure what ceremony this corresponded to, but it made him think back to what Fifth Prince had said in the emperor’s palace hall.

“In recent years, the mutagen levels in Firemoon territory have tripled. King Firecrusher’s assessment was that… the Firemoons are grooming a fourth god!”[1]

1. These words were spoken by Fifth Prince in chapter 812. ☜