As Xu Qing emerged from Immortal Cleaving Lake, powerful fluctuations rolled out from the border of western Devilbird territory, where the wartime teleportation portals had been set up. There were quite a few portals there, and they had been set up in a specific way to lead to various parts of the Revered Ancient mainland. During this wartime period, they were like the front door of the Devilbird holy land. Because of that, this area was normally kept under tight guard by certain organizations from the western Devilbirds.

At the moment, a group of over a hundred cultivators from the seventeenth Imperial Sovereign mountain were respectfully waiting at the seventeenth teleportation portal.

In the lead position was a young boy clad in a daoist robe. Remaining completely silent, he stood there looking at the seventeenth portal and the fluctuations rolling out from it. Rumbling sounds echoed out as the aura of a teleportation grew stronger. Scintillating light shone everywhere as a burly figure took shape. Even as a mere outline, this figure pulsed with a fiendish and bloody aura that caused everyone present to shiver. The faint odor of blood and gore filled the area.

After a moment, the light faded away, and the figure became clear. Astonishingly, a young man stood there, clad in a pitch-black suit of battle armor. His face had two horrendous scars on it that formed the shape of a cross. The way the flesh was bunched up around the scars was appalling.

One might think the scars would make this young man seem simply ugly. But the reality was that there was something unique about his facial features that made him seem somber and desolate. It created quite a contrast with his bright red hair, and it also made it seem like he was the source of the reek of blood that filled the area. His armor bore the evidence of combat, making it clear that he was a veteran of many, many battles.

The moment he appeared, the people from the seventeenth Imperial Sovereign mountain, led by the boy, dropped to their knees to kowtow.

“Well met, Your Majesty!”

This new arrival was the third apprentice of the Imperial Sovereign from the seventeenth mountain. Though he was ranked third, that didn’t reflect how strong he was, nor did it indicate his potential. In reality, he wasn’t just the most famous individual from the seventeenth Imperial Sovereign mountain. He was actually famous among all the western Devilbirds. In fact, he was even famous in the lands of the eastern Devilbirds.

He was Sir Westdevil!

The reason for his fame was that, based on his natural aptitude, he had once received praise from Grand Emperor Devilbird.

When in Void Returning, he could fight low-level Smoldering Gods. After breaking through to Smoldering God, he seized authority, thus becoming the second Smoldering God in the past thousand years among the western Devilbirds who had authority.

His authority was unique and terrifying. It focused on annihilation!

Now that he was a seven-world Smoldering God, he could dominate anyone up to a nine-world Smoldering God, and if he went all out, he could unleash power similar to that of an Imperial Sovereign. During the war with humankind, the strength and slaughter he unleashed earned him incredible battle credit. In fact, on the official hit list issued by humankind, he was listed with two other chosen Devilbirds as the top targets after the Imperial Sovereigns.

He had been at the front lines this entire time, until he received secret communication from one of his fellow apprentices. He had returned immediately.

As the reek of gore spread, and his somber aura grew stronger, Sir Westdevil strode off the teleportation portal with a cold expression on his face. He stopped in front of the kowtowing disciples.

“Where is he?” Sir Westdevil asked coolly.

The gathered crowd all shivered inwardly. Being from the same mountain, they were all very familiar with his proclivity for slaughter. In fact, one could say it was almost like an addictive hobby for him.

Ruthlessness was second nature to him. He was one of the most famous chosen among all Devilbird chosen. Grand Emperor Devilbird had approved of him. He had an Imperial Sovereign as his Master. People like him could well be said to wield absolute power in their domain.

Everyone kept their heads bowed.

Even the boy in the lead, who was an attendant of the Grand Emperor, didn’t dare to act negligently. Sounding very respectful, he said, “That Sir Blood Dust went to Immortal Cleaving Lake, where he stayed for four hours before heading east. He’s currently resting at Mount Heaven’s East.”

Sir Westdevil nodded. Eyes flashing coldly, he took a step forward. An instant later, he was up in the sky. Locking onto a specific location, he waved his hand, causing masses of black clouds to cover him. Then he flew away at top speed.

Wherever he went, rumbling sounds filled heaven and earth. Wreathed in black clouds as he was, he seemed like a heaven-devil.

He had come back from the front lines for one reason.... Sir Blood Dust. He was aware that Sir Blood Dust had issued a challenge to his own mountain, and that no one had been able to rise to the challenge. Therefore, Sir Westdevil was determined to take Sir Blood Dust’s head off his shoulders and mount it on a stake where he had sat at the bottom of the seventeenth mountain.

Sir Westdevil was completely ambivalent about killing fellow members of his own species, or causing friction between east and west.

***

As Sir Westdevil shot through the dome of heaven toward Mount Heaven’s East, Xu Qing really was resting right there on the mountain.

He had completed all his goals in the lands of the western Devilbirds. The empress had already earned an audience with Grand Emperor Devilbird, therefore, he didn’t need to go around issuing any more challenges. He had also accomplished everything he wanted to accomplish at the Immortal Skills Hall.

What he needed to do now was just wait until the empress finished dealing with the Grand Emperor. Then he would just join the empress on the return trip to the eastern Devilbirds.

By the time we leave the western Devilbirds, it will almost be time to open Grand Emperor Netherflame’s secluded meditation facilities.

During this entire time, Xu Qing had been thinking a lot about what the empress was really up to. It obviously had something to do with Grand Emperor Netherflame. There were many details and secrets that Xu Qing couldn’t understand. He simply lacked too much information. Therefore, it didn’t make sense to spend too much time analyzing the situation.

However, there was one thing he hadn’t forgotten. Grand Emperor Netherflame’s secluded meditation facilities contained a destined opportunity that could significantly boost one’s cultivation base.

And there’s Yue Dong’s original plan.... Furthermore, I wonder how Eldest Brother has been making out. I’m sure he’s made significant gains at the eastern Devilbirds’ Immortal Skills Hall.

After thinking about such things for a time, he stowed such thoughts and focused on the items he most needed to learn more about.

First on the list was the Mask of Wishes. In recent days, when he had the chance, he had studied the mask a few times. He was still holding back from making a wish. However, his investigation had revealed a few pertinent details.

This wish item seems to be some sort of godly authority! In terms of personhood, it’s terrifyingly advanced. I can keep it as a trump card, but unless I have absolutely no choice at all, I won’t finish stating a wish. As for the white dust, I have a bit more than before, but it’s still not enough....

Next, Xu Qing moved on to his godly authority of fate.

There’s nothing indicating that this type of godly authority can only be used in one way. Quite the opposite. I can collect it with my soul, use it to bolster divine abilities, and even do other tests. As for its ability to carve fate, there is a backlash contained within it. Carving fate involves replacing the previous trajectory, so any obstacles that pop up are things I have to personally deal with.

Xu Qing lifted his right hand, causing the godly authority of fate to manifest as a carving knife. He studied it for a short time before putting it away and focusing instead on his back. There on his back was a totem tattoo of an extinguished red candle. As he studied the tattoo with his senses, his expression darkened.

Back in the World Origin Pocket Realm, he had not been able to exert any control over it. In fact, he wasn’t even sure what it was. Perhaps everything that happened was all the candle’s doing. After all, the candle was conscious to a certain extent. Or perhaps it had been drawn to Xu Qing because of his special fleshly body. Regardless, Xu Qing did not like the tattoo. And his senses were telling him that it contained potential calamity.

From the very beginning until now, it had remained in an extinguished state. But Xu Qing could sense that the candle was reaching the point of waking up. When he thought about the terrifying power of that candle’s flame, his eyes flashed.

Unless I can control you, I absolutely cannot allow you to awaken and ignite that flame.

Then the authority of erasure appeared in his eyes, spread to his back, and covered the candle wick. The authority of erasure caused the aura of awakening to weaken. However, it didn’t disappear. Therefore, Xu Qing called out to Little Shadow.

“Devour!” he ordered.

Little Shadow wasn’t keen on doing that, but also didn’t dare to defy orders. Bracing itself, it rushed forth with gaping maw to devour the aura of awakening. Because of Little Shadow’s unique properties, it actually succeeded to a certain extent. The aura weakened further.

Time passed. Evening fell.

As the afterglow of the setting sun faded on the horizon, Xu Qing used the authority of erasure several times over. He also had Little Shadow make more attempts to devour the candle. As a result, the aura of awakening was now almost impossible to detect.

It’s still there, but at least I can control it.

Xu Qing went on to place some more sealing marks on it. Considering he was still waiting on the empress, he decided to do further study of Five Dogs Cleave Immortals.

However, that was when a sudden sensation of dread skyrocketed within him. Eyes hardening, he shot backward at high speed. A rumbling like thunder shattered the evening glow. Everything started to ripple and distort.

Then a pitch-black spear appeared, something that could destroy worlds, and it was shooting down directly toward Xu Qing. The haft of the spear was long enough to fill heaven and earth, while the tip was like a terrifying mountain. It contained almost unstoppable force as it appeared right in front of him.

At that moment of crisis, Xu Qing shot backward at top speed.

Being this close to it, Xu Qing was shaken to find that the mightiness of this spear was almost on the same level as an Imperial Sovereign. Because of how quickly Xu Qing evaded the attack, the spear screamed past him and slammed into Mount Heaven’s East. That one spear shattered the entire mountain! Rubble exploded everywhere.

The spear then passed through the remnants of the mountain and buried itself in the ground. There it remained, stabbed deep into the earth, quivering from the leftover force of the blow.

For 5,000 kilometers in every direction, the land shattered, all while black flames erupted from the tip and up through the resulting cracks and crevices. The entire area became a sea of flames.

Within those flames could be heard howls of anguish coming from countless souls. Those souls belonged to human cultivators. They were obviously victims that had been slaughtered by the spear on the battlefield. Those souls weren’t allowed back into the cycle of reincarnation, but were instead bound to the spear to bolster its might.

It was now possible to see a devilish figure standing atop the haft of the spear, which stuck out diagonally from the ground. Red hair swirled around a pitch-black suit of ferocious-looking armor. Behind him was the illusory projection of a heaven-devil that filled half the sky and glared menacingly at Xu.

“So, you’re Sir Blood Dust?”