243 Battle of Status!
Top 50 in the war score of Seven Blood Eyes could obtain the qualifications to use the projection of the sect’s magic treasure once.
Xu Qing was tempted by this.
On one hand, he had never seen a magic treasure but he had heard too many things about the strength of magic treasures.
After all, even in the entire Seven Blood Eyes, there was only one magic treasure.
At the same time, Xu Qing was also curious about why magic treasures had such rumors. He wanted to know what the Seven Blood Eyes’ magic treasure looked like and what kind of might it could unleash.
These were what tempted him.
However, Xu Qing felt that he couldn’t delay the Diamond Sect’s ancestor and the shadow’s breakthrough because of curiosity.
Xu Qing knew very well which one was more important.
After all, no matter how strong the magic treasure projection was, he could only use it once. However, the advancement of the shadow and the Diamond Sect’s ancestor would increase his combat strength.
Hence, Xu Qing didn’t hesitate and immediately gave up on accepting the mission. He made use of the right to be exempted from the war given by Ding Xue’s aunt and chose to leave while the Seven Blood Eyes continued to advance toward the Sea Corpse Race with an imposing aura.
“I have to find a safe and remote island so that the breakthrough of the shadow and the Diamond Sect’s ancestor won’t be disturbed.”
This was especially so when the Diamond Sect’s ancestor said that there would be lightning tribulation when he broke through. This made Xu Qing pay even more attention to the location.
He made a prompt decision and used the teleportation array on the merfolk island to activate a long-distance teleportation in the opposite direction of the battlefield.
This time, the place he teleported to was an island of nonhuman races called the Cape Sand Race.
They were one of the Seven Blood Eyes’ allies and most of them had gentle personalities. Because they were good at refining a material called the flickering sea and had extremely high attainments in puppet research, they had been protected by the Seven Blood Eyes for more than a hundred years.
As for the members of the Cape Sand Race, they were very strange. Their appearances were similar to humans, but their bodies were only the size of a palm. Humans were like giants in front of them.
Their clan’s territory was also a small kingdom.
However, in order to receive foreign friends, they built a large city not far from the teleportation array that could allow cultivators to stay.
When Xu Qing appeared in the Cape Sand Race’s teleportation array, it was already dusk.
The afterglow of the setting sun scattered down in the distance, reflecting the purple color on the black surface of the sea. It contrasted with the fiery red glow in the sky and gave off a mysterious feeling.
The harmony and peace here were quite rare in the Forbidden Sea. Since Xu Qing had been in the battlefield till now, there was still some baleful aura from the war on his body. He felt a little uncomfortable when he entered this peaceful place.
Xu Qing lifted his head and looked into the distance. He saw countless members of the Cape Sand Race busying themselves in the small city in the distance. From time to time, singing could be heard and he could faintly see even smaller children playing with the sand.
However, there were many auras of experts here.
Even though the Cape Sand Race was extremely short, Xu Qing wouldn’t underestimate them. This was because he had read about them in the Homicide Department’s dossier. He knew that although the Cape Sand Race was gentle, their combat strength was astonishing, especially since they were good at Dao of puppets.
Xu Qing, who had walked out of the teleportation array, swept his gaze across the surroundings and looked at the eight puppets sitting outside the teleportation array.
Each of these eight puppets was the size of a human. Their bodies were made of iron and wood and their faces were pitch-black with gems as their eyes.
There were no spirit energy fluctuations coming from their bodies, as though they were dead objects.
The instant Xu Qing’s gaze landed, the gem eyes of one of the puppets suddenly lit up. Cracking sounds echoed as it lifted its head and looked at Xu Qing. After that, it stood up and cupped its fists.
“Welcome to the Cape Sand Race. May I know why a distinguished guest from the Seven Blood Eyes is here?”
Xu Qing carefully sized up this puppet. Even though the other party had spoken, he still didn’t sense any spirit energy fluctuations.
Xu Qing felt very strange. However, he knew that there were many things that he couldn’t rashly inquire about. Hence, he spoke in a low voice.
“I’m passing by and want to go to the nearby sea area. Do you have a nautical chart for sale?”
“Since you’re an esteemed guest from the Seven Blood Eyes, you don’t need to buy it.” The puppet waved its right hand and a grain of sand appeared in it. It threw it at Xu Qing.
After Xu Qing caught it, his expression was a little moved. This small grain of sand actually recorded information like a jade slip. He only swept his magic power slightly and a very detailed nautical chart appeared in his mind.
After thanking the puppet, Xu Qing took another look at the peaceful atmosphere of the race. With a sway of his body, he rose into the air and headed toward the distance.
He was extremely fast, causing a booming sound. In an instant, he disappeared.
After he left, the other seven puppets beside the teleportation array lifted their heads one after another and looked in the direction Xu Qing had left in.
“The Seven Blood Eyes is currently fighting against the Sea Corpse Race. This person’s cultivation isn’t ordinary and gives me a lot of pressure. Moreover, his body clearly contains the aura of the battlefield. Why is he here?”
“I also sensed his cultivation fluctuations. Although it’s not very clear, to be able to make the magic power circulation of my magic aperture stagnate, this person should be at the mid-stage Foundation Building realm.”
“However, from his actions, he doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions.”
These eight puppets didn’t move at all and transmitted their voices to each other. After confirming that Xu Qing had indeed left, they slowly relaxed and lowered their heads again, not moving at all.
Time flowed by and a night passed.
The next morning, when the sunlight scattered down, burning the sea and sky, Xu Qing’s figure appeared in the sky. His speed didn’t decrease at all as he continued to speed forward.
He didn’t choose to move out on the magic ship. That would be too big of a target. He relied on his own strength to search the entire night. According to the descriptions on the nautical chart, he finally found an area that met the requirements.
This was an abandoned mining island.
The nautical chart described that the island was discovered to have a spirit vein a hundred years ago, so it attracted the attention of the Cape Sand. After mining it for 60 years and emptying it, it was abandoned.
The spirit energy on it was scarce and the anomalous substances were dense. Although there were plants, most of them had some forms of offensive methods.
Moreover, there was no longer any value inside or outside the island, so almost no one came here.
There were many such islands on the Forbidden Sea.
Xu Qing examined the island from the air. In the end, he decided to let the shadow and the Diamond Sect’s ancestor advance on this island. After making the decision, he headed straight for the island.
Very soon, he landed on the island. Xu Qing waved his hand and scattered a cloud of poison powder, causing some of the plants in the surroundings that were twisting around him to instantly wither and die.
Xu Qing didn’t even glance at them and headed straight for the mines on the island. Not long later, he found one.
This mineshaft was pitch-black. The morning sunlight outside was clearly bright, but the pitch-blackness here seemed to be impenetrable by light. It emitted dense anomalous substances and waves of cold air.
The surroundings of the mineshaft were covered in a layer of black ice which seemed to be highly toxic as there was no vegetation in the surroundings.
This place wasn’t a suitable place for cultivation for any cultivator but Xu Qing’s shadow was very satisfied.
In fact, its figure under the sunlight couldn’t help but extend a little toward the mineshaft.
Xu Qing was also satisfied with it. After he got closer and confirmed that there was no danger, he broke off a piece of black ice on the ground.
The cold air coming from the black ice was astonishing and the anomalous substances in it were extremely dense. Just by touching it, the anomalous substances in it invaded Xu Qing’s body. However, at the next instant, they were rapidly absorbed by Xu Qing’s shadow.
“This thing is a little interesting.” Xu Qing squatted down and collected some of the black ice here. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to preserve this item. They would volatilize quickly after they were broken off.
With regret, Xu Qing was about to step into the mineshaft.
“Master, be careful. You should not enter a strange place rashly. Let me clear the way.” The Diamond Sect’s ancestor quickly spoke and took the initiative to control the black iron stick. After it flew into the mineshaft, he transmitted his divine sense.
“Master, everything is normal down there.”
At the side, the shadow that was happily absorbing the black ice paused for a moment. It also hurriedly extended a section to the bottom of the deep pit and similarly emitted safety fluctuations.
Xu Qing didn’t care about the matter between the Diamond Sect’s ancestor and the shadow. He was also happy to see them targeting each other. His expression was as calm as ever. He first set up some poison in the surroundings before stepping into the mineshaft.
The anomalous substances in the mine were clearly denser and the cold air in it was oppressive. It was also pitch-black.
Even though magic power gushed into his eyes, Xu Qing could only vaguely see a huge tunnel ahead with traces of mining.
Xu Qing didn’t hesitate to light the life lantern.
In the blink of an eye, invisible flames spread out from his entire body, vaguely forming a black umbrella above his head to protect his soul.
He instantly disappeared and began to investigate if there was any danger in the mineshaft.
Although he had sensed that this place was safe earlier, Xu Qing would not be at ease till he inspected it. At that moment, under the Mystic Brilliance Form, his entire person was like flames, sweeping through the entire mineshaft.
Even though there were many tunnels here, with Xu Qing’s speed, he only used the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to finish examining them all.
Other than some bats, this place was safe.
After confirming this, Xu Qing sat down in the depths of the mineshaft and spoke softly in the darkness.
“Shadow, you can advance now.”
As Xu Qing’s voice rang out, his shadow instantly spread out.
Although there was still a trace of connection with Xu Qing, 99% of it spread into the distance and rotated rapidly there.
Outsiders couldn’t see this scene. Only Xu Qing could sense it. He could sense that as the shadow rotated rapidly, the anomalous substances in the surroundings gathered crazily and surged into the vortex.
This vortex grew larger and deeper until all the anomalous substances in the mineshaft were absorbed. The vortex suddenly trembled and stopped spinning. Instead, it transformed into something like a deep pool.
Its shape was circular and was a full 100 feet long.
The shadow had melted and turned into a pool of black mucus. Bubbles kept popping up on the surface of the water as though the pool was boiling.
Every time a bubble shattered, waves of soul-stirring roars would ring out, as though some evolution was unfolding inside.
Xu Qing’s eyes revealed anticipation but his vigilance didn’t decrease. After all, the shadow had an untamed personality. It was hard to say if it would suddenly act foolishly after breaking through.
Hence, he silently poured a portion of his magic power into the purple crystal and was prepared to suppress the shadow at any time.
At the same time, the Diamond Sect’s ancestor saw that the shadow had already begun and Demon Xu was clearly looking forward to it. He even seemed to be protecting him. This caused him to feel an extremely strong sense of danger and intense nervousness.
‘He’s protecting it. Demon Xu clearly values the silly shadow more!’
‘According to the logic in the book, once the silly shadow breaks through first, the pressure on me will definitely be extremely great. Moreover, even if I break through later, I’m still too slow⦒
‘In the stories, the slower one is, the slower one will be until they are completely left behind. This won’t do!’ The Diamond Sect’s ancestor’s mind trembled. He definitely couldn’t let such a thing happen.
‘For the sake of status, for the sake of not becoming cannon fodder, I have to break through before the silly shadow!!’
At the thought of this, the eyes of the Diamond Sect’s ancestor turned slightly red. His voice was incomparably solemn and carried intense determination as he spoke in a low voice.
“Master, I want to advance!”