Chapter Sixty-Three: Ripples in the Void

Qu Hongxiu’s mind was a whirl of confusion. She struggled to untangle Xu Zhe’s words, standing in place for a long time as she tried to make sense of them, eventually piecing together the key points.

First: human bloodlines are stronger than those of demon beasts.

Second: cultivating these techniques could surpass the power gained by refining a demon beast bloodline.

Even these two points alone were enough to frighten Qu Hongxiu.

She was well-versed in the history of the Azure Gift Continent. Ten thousand years ago, it had already entered the twilight of the age of magic—cultivators were few and far between, only a few ancient clans and hidden factions remaining out of sight.

It was not until the arrival of prodigies and the resurgence of spiritual energy that cultivators began to spring up like bamboo shoots after rain.

But a century later, the first prodigy awakened and entered the world: Wang Xinran, with the bloodline of a Nine-tailed Fox. Her cultivation advanced at a staggering pace, surpassing those who had trained for a hundred years in just a decade.

This left everyone in awe of the power of demon beast bloodlines.

Afterward, as more prodigies awakened, all of them carried demon beast bloodlines and displayed extraordinary accomplishments.

As a result, demon beast bloodlines gradually became the standard by which sects and factions measured and selected geniuses.

And through the years, everything had proven that demon beast bloodlines were indeed stronger than those of humans—entire industries had sprung up around this fact.

But now, Qu Hongxiu found her beliefs shaken and overturned.

Xu Zhe’s performance after his awakening, combined with the techniques in the two jade slips before her, along with her own newly acquired “Heaven-Earth Departing Fire Technique,” gave her a vague understanding.

For all these years, the strength of demon beast bloodlines stemmed from their innate bloodline arts.

Human bloodlines seemed weak, not only due to their lack of innate arts, but chiefly because they lacked powerful techniques—none stronger than the arts gifted by demon beast bloodlines, whether for cultivation or combat.

“But how does Uncle Xu know all this? He’s only been awakened for a dozen days or so, and even on the day he awakened, he told me something similar—advising me to cleanse my demon beast bloodline…”

At this thought, Qu Hongxiu grew even more puzzled.

She looked up ahead. Xu Zhe’s silhouette was bathed in firelight, shining brightly.

Uncle Xu grows more and more mysterious…

I know there are things I shouldn’t ask, so I pretend not to understand, but in truth, I understand everything.

The secrets Uncle Xu carries—I will guard them well. The less I know, the safer he’ll be.

Quietly vowing in her heart, Qu Hongxiu gripped the jade slip tightly, deciding to trust Xu Zhe and follow the path he set before her.

“Uncle Xu, I’ve decided—I want to cleanse the Sunbird bloodline and become a new person!” she called out loudly.

Then, realizing something was off, she quickly amended, “Not a new person—I am already human! I mean, I want to have a pure human bloodline.”

Xu Zhe turned, smiled, and nodded gently.

As if remembering something, he added, “By the way, Xiao Qu, when we return, remember to give those cultivation and body-tempering techniques to your master as well.”

“What?”

Qu Hongxiu froze, then pouted.

Scoundrel!

I thought these were just for me, but even my master gets a share!

Hmph, let her have them then!

“No need to worry. Though your master is ninety percent Vermilion Bird bloodline, if I spend a bit more effort, I can help her resolve it,” Xu Zhe said with a smile.

Qu Hongxiu became even more disgruntled.

He’s willing to spend extra effort on my master, too.

“Why are you just standing there? Time to move,” Xu Zhe called again.

“Where are we going?” Only then did Qu Hongxiu snap out of her thoughts, sulkily stepping forward.

“To the central area. I believe what I’m looking for should be inside,” Xu Zhe replied, gazing at the dense, poisonous fire mist ahead.

The central area?

Qu Hongxiu’s face changed instantly. “Uncle Xu, that’s not somewhere we can go right now! The fire poison inside is terrifying—if we so much as touch it…”

“I know. But you’ve already learned the Heaven-Earth Departing Fire technique—what’s there to be afraid of?” As Xu Zhe spoke, he stretched out his hand once more.

Two flaming Eight Trigram diagrams swiftly appeared in his palm and, with a wave, shot forward.

In an instant, the two diagrams expanded in midair—one above, one below—enveloping Xu Zhe within, forming an independent space the size of a basketball court, completely isolated from the outside world.

He took a step forward, and flames surged from the ground. Before they could touch him, the fiery Eight Trigrams shattered them, scattering sparks everywhere.

“Have you learned it?” Xu Zhe asked.

“This…” Qu Hongxiu gaped in astonishment.

So the Heaven-Earth Departing Fire could be used like this?

A miracle!

Eagerly, she followed suit, casting the technique and smoothly flinging out two flaming Eight Trigram diagrams.

In a flash, her own shield of departing fire appeared, enveloping her above and below.

But the area it covered was just enough for her body—compared to Xu Zhe’s shield the size of a basketball court, the difference was stark.

“Uncle Xu, why is yours so big?” she asked, crestfallen and envious.

She had hoped to conjure something as grand, so that when she returned to the border battlefield, she could charge into a herd of demon beasts with her shield up—a veritable beast-harvesting machine.

Alas…

“Size doesn’t matter. As long as it blocks the fire poison, that’s enough. Let’s go.”

With that, Xu Zhe withdrew his shield and strode into the fire poison mist.

“Uncle Xu, you…” Qu Hongxiu was startled.

Xu Zhe was entering the poisonous mist without any protection?

“Hurry up! This fire poison mist is quite good—I can use it to temper my body. As for you, with your dull aptitude, best not try it,” Xu Zhe’s voice called from within.

“Temper… temper the body?” Qu Hongxiu’s mouth twitched as she gave a thumbs-up toward the mist.

A savage!

Uncle Xu, you are truly savage!

I’ve never heard of anyone using fire poison mist to temper their body—I really am too dull.

But Qu Hongxiu, now with a heart tempered by adversity, quickly recovered, donned her shield, and followed him into the mist.

No sooner had she entered than she saw Xu Zhe standing there, head tilted back, gulping down the fire poison mist. Her heart skipped a beat in fright.

“Master, save your disciple—Uncle Xu isn’t even human.”

She took out her Universal Jade Tablet, snapped a picture, and tried to send it.

Transmission failed!

“I almost forgot—the fire poison mist blocks the spiritual network. Never mind, I’ll send it later!”

Putting the jade tablet away, she cautiously approached Xu Zhe.

He said nothing, simply absorbing the fire poison, exhaling and inhaling as he moved forward, his senses scanning for the domain passage.

Though this was the heart of the secret realm, the area covered by the mist was vast.

Five whole days passed.

They still had not crossed the fire poison mist.

Nor had Xu Zhe found any trace of the domain passage.

All around was desolation—flames leaping from the ground, rivers of lava in places, the air growing ever more scorching, and now and then, black flames formed from condensed fire poison drifted through the air.

Xu Zhe was delighted—each deep breath left him feeling invigorated, his body and mind refreshed.

Ten days later.

Xu Zhe had stopped absorbing the fire poison—it no longer offered any tempering effect.

The fire poison now condensed not into mere wisps, but great swathes of black fire, drifting like storm clouds overhead.

Every so often, the fire poison would assume the shape of beasts, roaming the air.

When they saw Xu Zhe and Qu Hongxiu, they would roar and pounce.

“How strange—how can fire poison take form and even develop a trace of intelligence?” Xu Zhe wondered, sending a palm strike that instantly dispersed a beast-shaped flame.

They looked impressive, but were nothing special.

“I’ve only heard the central area is dangerous, and that there are fire poisons that turn into demon beasts—many Nascent Soul cultivators have perished here. Turns out, it’s not so bad,” Qu Hongxiu scoffed.

Clearly, the girl was growing arrogant—she had gained much in this time.

Traversing the fire poison mist tested her control of the Heaven-Earth Departing Fire.

After more than ten days, her shield not only remained unbroken, but had grown noticeably larger.

“Uncle Xu, are you really looking for something, or did you just bring me in here to train?” she finally asked, unable to contain her suspicion.

After all, in all this time, she had seen nothing of note.

What could Xu Zhe possibly want in this desolate, poisonous mist, apart from her?

“You’re overthinking. I’m looking for the way home,” Xu Zhe replied calmly, pressing onward.

“The way home? My master told me you come from another world, but she said it’s impossible to return…” Qu Hongxiu asked, puzzled.

Not that home.

Xu Zhe did not answer aloud this time, only muttering in his heart.

He kept moving forward, the fire poison mist thinning ahead, though its potency was clearly increasing.

They were about to leave the mist’s boundary and enter the very center of the realm.

“Uncle Xu, wait—there’s someone over there!” Qu Hongxiu suddenly exclaimed.

Xu Zhe looked where she pointed, but saw nothing.

“They’re fast—I just saw several figures darting by,” she explained.

Xu Zhe immediately extended his senses in that direction.

Soon enough, he detected several presences.

Five Nascent Soul cultivators and one Golden Core ant!

Xu Zhe quickly assessed their strength.

To his surprise, the Golden Core aura felt faintly familiar—it was Li Xunhuang, third disciple of Li Chunggong, whom he had met before entering the secret realm.

“Late-stage Golden Core—and to have come this far, they must have some skill.”

Xu Zhe smiled faintly, not intending to waste time meeting them.

But just as he was about to withdraw his senses, he caught a faint ripple of void energy from that direction.

It was fleeting and subtle, hard to detect.

Xu Zhe surged forward, pouring all his spiritual sense into the search.

In that moment, he felt the void ripple grow stronger.

“The domain passage—I’ve finally found it.”

A smile broke across Xu Zhe’s face.

He also saw that Li Xunhuang and his group were heading straight for the source of the ripple.

…