Chapter 1340: Starlight Blossoms, Two Suns Rise!

The afterglow of the setting sun shone down on Mount Daybreak. For years, the mountain had experienced no daybreak. But for the past few decades, the sun shone dazzling on it. And right now, the afterglow made it more colorful than ever.

Two figures slowly parted. Outside the glowing light, Xu Qing strode farther and farther away. Inside the glowing light, Plumdark looked off into the distance.

“He’s right,” a voice said. “That mysterious big brother of his has been waiting for him for quite a long time.”

The air rippled as Master Seventh appeared on Mount Daybreak next to Plumdark. He also looked off into the distance, just like her. “It’s a battle of destiny between the two of them. Based on my investigations around the Heaveneater Region, I suspect his brother has reached the limits of his patience. All we can do now is keep this place safe.”

Plumdark nodded.

Outside of Mount Daybreak were Zhou Zhengli, Sir Star Ring, Sir Vilespirit, and all the others, seated cross-legged in meditation as they made sure their cultivation bases were at the most peak level possible.

All of them waited quietly!

***

Three days passed.

Xu Qing took his time going to the Heaveneater Region. As he walked, he looked around at the heaven and earth of Revered Ancient, and thought back to his youth. He thought about many things. He contemplated the things he had done, as well as the blurry images of his father and mother. He also thought about his older brother.

Three days later, beneath an evening glow similar to that on Mount Daybreak, he reached the northern border of the Heaveneater Region. The border itself was formed by a never-ending mountain range, pure black in color.

Xu Qing stood atop the mountain range, the wind buffeting his face as he looked out at what lay before him. On the other side of the mountains was a roiling black fog that covered everything and made it impossible to see the lands below. The fog covered all of the Heaveneater Region. Occasionally, shrill cries echoed out from it, as though an infinitude of demonic monsters roved about, casting a soul-chilling cold into the depths of anyone present.

A very strong mutagen filled the other side of the mountains, and thus the entirety of the Heaveneater Region. It was actually stronger than the mutagen Xu Qing had encountered in Brilliant Heaven. It seemed to be alive, and ready to devour any living thing it encountered.

To Xu Qing, it felt very similar to when the broken face’s eyes had opened over Peerless City or Supreme Ancient City.[1]

“This is a place where a godly aura has infected the mortal world, thus giving birth to countless grues.” The voice came from behind Xu Qing. Yu Liuchen stepped out of nothing to stand next to Xu Qing. Hē bowed. “Well met, Immortal Lord.”

Xu Qing turned to look at Yu Liuchen. He was not surprised. He had not concealed the fact that he was making this journey. What was more, he had long since come to understand more about Yu Liuchen.

Xu Qing shook his head. “I’m not an Immortal Lord.”

Yu Liuchen similarly shook hīs head. “You’re not an Immortal Lord, and yet, you surpass Immortal Lord. So what’s the difference?”

Xu Qing said nothing. He just looked back at the Heaveneater Region.

“Where gods are,” Yu Liuchen continued, “grues exist. Mortals don’t understand. Most cultivators don’t even understand. They think that grues and gods exist symbiotically. But many gods don’t believe that. In fact... Immortal Lords can also detect the same thing.... Grues do not exist symbiotically with gods. To a certain extent, you can say that they are a curse to gods!”

“You’re talking about the Grue World?” Xu Qing asked.[2]

Yu Liuchen’s eyes glittered with golden light. “Grues come before gods, and die because of gods. They turn into a curse, like a shadow that exists alongside the gods. That is why... gods above Altar God don’t....”

Upon reaching this point, Yu Liuchen shivered and stopped talking, as if having just been struck by some backlash. In fact, golden blood sprayed out of hīs mouth. “The natural laws of the higher star rings won’t allow me to explain. It would affect all higher living things. As for me, my special godly authority has allowed me to see some things that are normally kept secret....”

Yu Liuchen wiped the blood from hīs chin and looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed. Then he waved his right hand, causing a will of canon and statute to spread out. He looked at Yu Liuchen.

“Try again.”

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Yu Liuchen took a moment to assess the surroundings, then took a deep breath, lowered hīs voice, and said, “Think hard. Of all the gods you’ve seen in your life that are above the Altar God level, isn’t it true that... none of thēm had shadows??”

Yu Liuchen’s words caused Xu Qing’s eyes to glitter.

“Shadows are mediums of the Grue World,” Yu Liuchen continued. “At the same time, they are curses to the gods. This knowledge has been tampered with by the higher natural laws, ensuring that no living beings notice the truth.”

As Yu Liuchen continued to speak, hē trembled and began to sweat profusely.

Xu Qing thought about it, and realized that it was true. None of the gods above the Altar God level that he had ever encountered had shadows. He had just never noticed it before.

“How interesting...” Xu Qing said calmly. “So you came here to explain more about this?”

Yu Liuchen looked at Xu Qing and bowed deeply. “I guessed that you would come to the Heaveneater Region, Immortal Lord. I’ve been waiting here for decades, during which time I’ve targeted the area by telling a total of 370,000 stories.

“Without exception, every single one of those stories ended up being switched with the will of a grue. As a result, I was not able to finish any of the stories. I believe it has something to do with the Grue World. Immortal Lord, that brother of yours... I suspect there’s something about his identity that isn’t so hidden....”

Xu Qing looked at Yu Liuchen and nodded.

Yu Liuchen let loose a sigh. Hē had come here in order to tell Xu Qing these things. Now, hē didn’t want to stay any longer. Stepping back, hē disappeared into thin air, leaving behind only some encouraging words for Xu Qing. “I truly hope things go smoothly for you, and that you achieve that which you desire.”

The wind seemed to blow a bit stronger on the mountaintop.

“Achieve that which I desire...” Xu Qing murmured. A few breaths of time passed, and then he stepped into the black fog of the Heaveneater Region.

Inside the border of the Heaveneater Region was... the Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan! At that moment, the entire place trembled. The boundless black fog that filled the Heaveneater Region began to churn, and it quickly turned into a raging sea. Within every furious wave on that sea were ear-piercing screaming sounds. The sound was an intense force of expulsion that sought to eject Xu Qing! Numerous sinister auras swept through the black fog, filled with malice and intense madness as they converged on him.

Face completely expressionless, Xu Qing lifted his right foot and stepped down. A sound like millions upon millions of thunderclaps exploded out. At the same time, a special destiny aura swirled around Xu Qing, turning into an imperial crown that settled onto his head. Intangible pressure radiated out in all directions.

The special destiny aura... had the same origin as the Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan! Where it passed, the fog was sent spinning off to the side, revealing a desolate and barren world. The countless streams of malicious will that existed in the fog lurched to a halt, then melted. The environment was no longer cold and sinister. What was more, the force of expulsion reversed, and became a joyous, welcoming cheer!

The reason was that half of the special destiny aura that formed the imperial crown was actually the destiny aura of the Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan!

Years ago, the Crown Prince of Violet and Cyan had carried out a complex scheme that had not fully succeeded, as Master Seventh resurrected Xu Qing, and Xu Qing had taken half of the destiny aura! Now, that missing half had returned. A half-emperor had returned.[3]

The Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan, which had come back from antiquity to devour the Heaveneater Region, began to tremble. The black fog roiled more violently than it had all those years ago.

As the kingdom shook, Xu Qing took a second step forward. That step spanned a great distance. When he reappeared... he was in the capital city of the Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan.

He saw the city itself, and all the citizens that the black fog had concealed. The city looked like a series of ink paintings, blurry, yet clearly defined by an ancient style. The citizens... were the same. They looked like they had been painted into the scene. Amidst the numerous buildings were men, women, elderly, and young ones. It didn’t matter their status or identity, they all looked the same.

When Xu Qing appeared, it was as if drops of color had spilled onto the painting. The painting instantly became brighter, and at the same time, all the citizens noticed what was happening. Their gazes were full of hatred, madness, and confusion. It seemed like they wanted to pounce on Xu Qing, but he was blessed by the destiny aura of the kingdom. As dead spirits that existed only because of destiny aura, they had no choice but to bow their heads.

Xu Qing saw all of this. Then he focused his attention on the palace. He took a third step. When that step landed, he appeared in the very center of the capital city... at Zi Qing’s imperial palace!

He stood in a black square in front of the main hall. Visible in front of him was an enormous, holy statue. It was... the only statue of the broken face of Eminent Desolation! The statue was clearly a lifeless thing. But it emanated an intense pressure that ensured the entire imperial palace was absolutely silent.

Behind the statue was the open door leading into the hall. Inside the hall, a person sat on the Dragon Throne!

He wore an imperial crown, imperial robes, had violet hair, and was extremely attractive, albeit somewhat sinister. He was none other than... Zi Qing, the Crown Prince of Violet and Cyan! His head leaned against one hand as he looked at Xu Qing outside. A warm smile appeared on his charming, nefarious face.

When he spoke, it was in a warm voice that cut through the gruish, stifling atmosphere. “Just what I would expect of my lil’ bro. You’re clearly as clever as when you were young. You didn’t come to face me in your immortal-god fusion state. In fact, you didn’t even bring your god clone into my kingdom. However, that doesn’t matter. What matters, lil’ bro, is that you’re finally here.”

1. Supreme Ancient City is presumably referring to the city that was the setting of the story in

chapter 1

. The name of that city was never mentioned up until this point. ☜

2. The grue world was previously mentioned in

chapter 1323

. ☜

3. The arc in which Xu Qing died and also got half the destiny aura began in

chapter 963.1

and went on for a few chapters after that.. ☜