Chu Tianqun closed his eyes bitterly.
"It's over…"
However, the eternity he imagined seemed to have arrived a little too slowly. A few breaths later, Xu Qing's hoarse voice rang out in Chu Tianqun's ears.
"Do you hate Crown Prince Purple Green and Night Dove?" Xu Qing looked at Chu Tianqun and retracted his foot that was about to land on his head.
Chu Tianqun didn't seem to hear him and continued to close his eyes.
"Since you're about to die and you couldn't kill me, do you want to see me find them?"
Xu Qing calmly spoke.
"This way, regardless of whether they die or I die, you will have gotten your revenge."
Chu Tianqun slowly opened his eyes and looked at Xu Qing. At that moment, his life was already nearing the end. Even if Xu Qing didn't destroy his head, he wouldn't be able to survive for long. The flames of his life had already begun to extinguish.
"So, can you tell me where Purple Green and Night Dove are?" Xu Qing looked at the void in the distance as he calmly asked.
Chu Tianqun didn't speak. The light in his eyes slowly dimmed and his head withered even more, beginning to dissipate piece by piece.
A few breaths later, Xu Qing shook his head. Since the other party didn't say anything, it was useless to ask further. Just as he was about to kill him completely, Chu Tianqun suddenly spoke softly.
"Xu Qing, do you know how to change the color of the sea?"
Xu Qing's eyes narrowed as he looked at Chu Tianqun.
Chu Tianqun looked at Xu Qing. At that moment, most of his face had dissipated and his voice became softer.
"When you understand how to do it, you'll know the answer."
After Chu Tianqun finished speaking, he closed his eyes and his head turned into dust, dissipating in front of Xu Qing. He was completely dead.
His body, soul, and everything else fused into the dust which then scattered in this world fragment.
With Chu Tianqun's death, this world distorted and gradually blurred before disappearing. A desert appeared around Xu Qing, along with scorching heat and the familiar aura of heaven and earth.
Wanggu Continent.
Chu Tianqun used 100 drops of his divine blood to trade with the Smoke Race for an opportunity to open their world fragment. The way to leave was very simple. Either Xu Qing died or he died.
When there was only one person left, he could leave.
Xu Qing looked at the sand under his feet. After a while, he turned and looked in the direction of the Smoke Race. At the end of his vision, smoke was curling, vaguely forming a blurry figure of the Smoke Race.
He stood in the sky and stared at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing coldly looked at him.
A long time later, the figure of the Smoke Race disappeared without saying a word.
Xu Qing turned around. His expression didn't change at all as he strode toward the border without decreasing his speed. Two hours later, he finally walked out of this desert and stepped into the territory of the county capital.
Gazing upon the serene green mountains and rivers, Xu Qing found himself unable to suppress the pain caused by his injuries. He began to cough up blood repeatedly, and his essence, energy, and spirit were all greatly depleted. Stumbling and swaying, he retrieved his magic warship and struggled to climb aboard. Collapsing to the side, he activated the ship and sped away with all the speed it could muster.
Far away from the desert.
When he saw the Smoke Race cultivator earlier, Xu Qing relied completely on his firm will to suppress his injuries and not reveal any weakness.
His injuries were actually extremely serious. Regardless of whether it was his soul or body, he had exhausted a lot of energy in this battle with Chu Tianqun. In the end, he was even hit by the wisp of wind produced by the terrifying white jade hand.
The life substitution jade slip had already shattered. If not for the golden light on his wrist, he would have died.
"I have to rush back to the county capital as soon as possible!"
Xu Qing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and sensed the weakness spreading out from his body. He felt lingering fear when he recalled the battle with Chu Tianqun.
"What exactly is that golden light!" After resting for a long while, Xu Qing looked at his wrist with a dazed expression.
The golden thread on his wrist had helped him twice now, and both times were during a life-and-death crisis. If it was a favor, the favor was too great.
Xu Qing decided to investigate the golden light when he returned to the county capital.
"And the Smoke Race…" Xu Qing looked in the direction of the desert with a confused gaze.
This matter didn't make sense.
"Even while being in Fenghai County, the Smoke Race provided Chu Tianqun with help, providing a battlefield for him to kill a Sword Holder. It's not that they can't do this, but there is a certain risk in this…"
"Is it worth it?"
Xu Qing mumbled inwardly. His injuries flared up once again and he spat out another mouthful of blood. Overwhelmed by a wave of intense weakness, he closed his eyes and began to concentrate on his healing.
Four hours later, he arrived at the teleportation array of a city. Despite his pale complexion and weak state, he forced himself to open his eyes and disembarked from the magic warship. After putting it away, he walked into the teleportation array.
As the teleportation fluctuations spread, Xu Qing's figure disappeared amidst the flickering light.
At the same time, within the territory of the capital of Fenghai County, in an endless primitive forest within the deep green mountain range, there was a huge basin.
From the sky, one could see countless trees in the basin. They were connected by a suspension bridge woven from vines.
Countless wooden houses were built on these trees, forming a huge village.
There were groups of palm-sized small people with crystal-like bodies shuttling inside as though they were playing with each other.
Their bodies emitted a resplendent light under the sunlight. As they continued to move, they gave off the feeling of flowing light.
As laughter rang out, one could vaguely see faces appearing on many huge trees. Waves of gentle aura spread out from them and permeated the place, forming a thin fog.
Some of these faces were in deep sleep, and some opened their eyes and looked at the small people gently.
Every time a large tree face opened its eyes, it would attract the arrival of many crystal figures. They would jump with joy beside the trees and their expressions were mostly filled with admiration.
This was the location of the Wood Spirit Race in Fenghai County.
The Wood Spirit Race was a very special race.
The clansmen were divided into two forms. When they were young, their bodies were only the size of a palm and their entire bodies were crystal clear. The Wood Spirit Race in this form was also an expensive medicinal ingredient.
After they reached adulthood, they would choose a large tree and fuse into it, becoming one with it and transforming into a treant.
Although most of the members of the Wood Spirit Race had gentle personalities, because their childhood form had considerable medicinal value to many races, the Wood Spirit Race didn't have much contact with the outside world. This was their way of protecting their children.
In the center of the Wood Spirit Race's village, there was a huge tree that towered into the sky. Although it couldn't compare to the True Immortal Ten Guts, the tree crown was so large that it covered an area of 10,000 feet.
There was a temple in this tree.
To be precise, the tree grew on the temple and enveloped it, becoming a part of its body.
There was a statue enshrined in the temple.
The statue looked like a beautiful woman wearing armor and surrounded by dragons and snakes. She held a spear in her hand and her entire body emitted waves of intense battle intent.
Behind the statue was a secret passage step. If one walked down the steps, they could enter the underground.
At the end of the steps, in the deepest depths of the underground, there was an ancient altar.
This altar was octagonal and pitch-black. It was above an abyss and there were only these stairs connected to it. From afar, it looked like it was suspended in the air.
On the altar, the old man from Panquan Road stood at the edge with red, teary eyes and an expression of unprecedented anxiety. He was trembling with nervousness.
"Ling'er!"
"Ling'er, wake up!"
"Don't scare me. Wake up…"
The direction he was looking at wasn't the altar beside him but the cliff at the edge of the abyss thousands of feet away from the altar.
Countless caves dotted the cliff, with numerous skeletons sitting cross-legged and meditating among them. Their bodies bore the marks of time, having perished countless years ago.
In one of the caves, Ling'er, who was wearing a long white dress, was sitting cross-legged.
Her face was pale and blood was flowing from the corners of her mouth. Her white dress also had shocking blood stains.
She closed her eyes and didn't move at all.
"Ling'er!!" The voice of the old man from Panquan Road shook even more. As his voice continued to echo, Ling'er's eyelashes trembled slightly and she slowly opened them.
It was as though even opening her eyes was very strenuous for her. At that moment, she could barely look at her father in the distance. It took her a long time to form a smile.
"Father, I'm fine…"
The heart of the old man from Panquan Road shook. He looked at Ling'er with deep sorrow in his eyes.
"It must be Xu Qing!!"
He brought Ling'er here to receive the inheritance, which is an experience that Ling'er's clan must undergo at this time. Success meant prolonging life, while failure meant the curse would erupt and lead to death.
The inheritance process was a lengthy and delicate one, and the old man had been extremely cautious and protective of Ling'er. Everything had been going smoothly until yesterday, when Ling'er suddenly coughed up blood and fatal injuries appeared on her.
"Father… don't spout nonsense. It has nothing to do with Brother Xu Qing…"
"It is me who is useless…"
Hearing her father speak like this, Ling'er was a little anxious and spoke with difficulty.
"That's right, that's right. It has nothing to do with Xu Qing. It's fine. I know that I was mistaken about your Brother Xu Qing. Don't be nervous. Take your time to heal your injuries. It's fine, it's fine. After your inheritance is over, I will bring you to find your Brother Xu Qing."
The old man from Panquan Road hurriedly spoke, his voice trembling even more.
When Ling'er heard her father's words, her pale little face revealed a happy smile.
"Really, Father…"
"It's true, it's true. Father swears that it's true!" The old man from Panquan Road nodded vigorously.
Ling'er's smile became even happier as she spoke softly.
"Father, don't worry. I'll work hard… I'll work hard… My inheritance will definitely succeed."
