Heavenly fire passing through the sky was a climate change unique to the Sacrificial Moon Region.
There were many theories as to how it happened. Some said that it was caused by the tides of the crimson moon. The closer the crimson moon was to the arrival of the crimson moon, the more frequent the heavenly fire.
Others said that it was the return of the ruler who had been killed by the crimson moon.
Every time the heavenly fire appeared, the entire Sacrificial Moon Region would be lit up. A sea of fire would rise from the east and cover the entire sky.
The further east it was, the more intense the light and heat would be. At the same time, there would be rain of fire of varying degrees.
This would continue for several months before the sea of fire in the sky would return and fall back into the sea of heavenly fire in the east. This was a cycle.
During this process, the entire eastern part of the Sacrificial Moon Region, apart from the small altars, would be burned by the rain of fire.
Whether it was the cities or the plants, most would be reduced to ashes.
This was also the reason why the cities in the alliance of the two races were mostly crudely made of mud. Only the Holy City, which was shared by both races, could withstand the attacks with the help of the mighty figures of the two races and some special methods. However, it was inevitable that it would be damaged.
Every time the heavenly fire returned, it would have to be rebuilt. The soil would also have to be refurbished to dispel the fire poison. This was the source of food for mortals.
Fortunately, the heavenly fire would appear once every few decades. It was not too frequent. The destruction was mainly in the east, and the other regions were not seriously affected. It was not difficult for cultivators to rebuild with spells.
As for the ordinary clansmen, they had to find a way to enter the holy city to take refuge. However, this came at a great cost. If they did not meet the conditions … they could only hide underground.
They used their physiques, which had been formed generation after generation to adapt to the heavenly fire, to avoid the fire.
This was also why Xu Qing saw Bian Wei and the others hiding underground. They had to complete their decomposition before the heavenly fire arrived so that they could become one with the soil underground.
The Heavenly Mask Race had a similar method.
However, these methods were evolved to adapt to this place. Xu Qing did not have them.
At this moment, the ground he was in was extremely hot. The soil was beginning to crystallize. As the high temperature spread, a strong sense of discomfort appeared in Xu Qing's heart.
"It's almost the temperature of the surface of the magma, and this is just the beginning …"
Xu Qing's forehead was covered in sweat and his body was sticky. He was gradually unable to keep the water in his body. This made him feel that something was wrong and he fled deeper into the ground.
It wasn't until he reached a certain range that he felt a little better. However, the danger in his mind and the warning caused by the Sea Dragon's uneasiness were still strong.
Therefore, he didn't withdraw his divine sense and paid close attention to the outside world.
In his perception, the sky outside was filled with dazzling flames and magma was rolling in the sky. As the pair of broken hands formed seals, the magma seemed to be driven away and continued to spread.
At the same time, a large amount of fire rain fell, and many mountains began to melt, becoming more and more irregular.
The entire world was covered in endless flames. Thick smoke billowed, and the heat was monstrous.
According to Xu Qing's judgment, the degree of its terror was already comparable to the heat he felt when he was within ten feet of magma.
"This can't go on!
"
The sense of crisis grew stronger and stronger in Xu Qing's heart. He looked down into the depths of the earth, and a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.
It wasn't that he couldn't continue, but he had a limit. After all, the Ancient Gazing Continent had a crushing force. If Xu Qing sank too deep, he wouldn't be able to bear it.
"In particular, I don't know if the Heavenly Fire will spread deeper … If the spreading force exceeds the limit of my sinking, it will be a dangerous place for me.
"
Xu Qing weighed the pros and cons in his heart. He could feel that this was only the first day of the Heavenly Fire, and it would definitely be more terrifying in the future.
Therefore, Xu Qing quickly took out a jade slip.
In this jade slip was a simple map. It was given to him by the old man of the Human Clan, Duanmu Zang, before he left. He also told Xu Qing that the Heavenly Fire was coming. He said that if he really had no place to go, he could come to the place on the map.
After pondering, Xu Qing decided to go and take a look first. If it really didn't work, he would go underground and gamble, or leave at full speed.
The alliance of the two clans was far away from the source of the fire.
Thinking of this, his body shook, and he went straight to the ground.
He didn't choose to escape deep underground, which would be relatively slow. At this moment, his body entered the high temperature. The closer he was to the ground, the more terrifying the temperature was.
When he broke through the soil and appeared on the ground, Xu Qing's body had burn scars.
Severe pain spread.
The temperature between heaven and earth had exceeded the scorching heat of lava. Although Xu Qing's body was extraordinary and had the ability to recover, the burning pain was still intense.
Most importantly, the Heavenly Fire's invasion of the Spirit was not something Xu Qing could withstand for too long, even with the support of the Life Lamp.
This was also the reason why he couldn't refine the Heavenly Fire Sea for a long time.
The physical body was one aspect, and the Spirit was another.
Compared to the physical body, Xu Qing's Spirit was even more fragile.
"I can't stay for too long!"
Xu Qing breathed in hot air, which seemed to burn his body from inside out.
Without any hesitation, he rushed out. As he sped through the Heavenly Fire Sea, he took out the umbrella that Duanmu Zang had given him and held it up, isolating himself from the heat.
Xu Qing's body relaxed, and his speed increased.
As he whistled, he stirred up a storm. Wherever he passed, the flames roared.
Just like that, two days passed. The temperature outside was even more shocking. All he could see was the Heavenly Fire Sea, which was blurred and distorted. His Divine Sense was also isolated, and his umbrella was showing signs of collapsing.
Fortunately, the location marked in the jade slip had appeared in the distance.
There didn't seem to be anything special about it. It was supposed to be an abandoned mine that had collapsed. But now, in the Heavenly Fire Sea, it was melting, and there were no signs of life.
Xu Qing quickly arrived. After sweeping his gaze around, he frowned.
No matter how he looked at it, it didn't look like a place to take refuge. Even if he could enter the mine through some cracks, the heat coming from inside was no less than outside.
"It's a pity that my Divine Sense is isolated, and I can't spread it out far enough.
"Xu Qing."
He glanced at his umbrella, which was on the verge of collapsing, and then back at the mine.
"However, based on Duanmu Zang's performance in the Heavenly Fire Sea, if it really was a place to hide, it would make sense. After all, if it could be seen through so easily, it wouldn't be a place to hide.
"Xu Qing."
Xu Qing thought for a moment, then bent his back like a cat and entered through a crack in the mine. As soon as he entered, the heat hit him in the face.
Xu Qing didn't say a word. He maintained his vigilance and continued forward, preparing to go in deeper to see what was going on.
After walking for two hours, he still hadn't reached the end of the mine, and the heat was still as intense as ever. Xu Qing frowned. Suddenly, his expression flickered, and he looked up into the distance.
He could vaguely see a figure lying there, motionless.
He couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. He could only see that the person was wearing thick armor, and there was an open umbrella next to them, shielding them from the heat.
This was the only person Xu Qing had seen after the Heavenly Fire Sea had passed through the sky. He narrowed his eyes, and his shadow spread out, enveloping the person. When he sensed a fluctuation of emotions, Xu Qing was a bit surprised. He charged forward.
In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of the person.
At this distance, even though his perception was isolated, Xu Qing could still probe.
It was a human cultivator. His Cultivation base was at the Three Fires of Foundation Establishment. At the moment, he was on the verge of death.
He wore black armor that covered every inch of his body. The armor was made of a special material that could insulate him from the heat to a certain extent.
The umbrella next to him attracted Xu Qing's attention.
The umbrella was exactly the same as the one Duanmu Zang had given him.
Xu Qing was deep in thought. He looked up at the depths of the mine, grabbed the person, and continued forward.
Just like that, another hour passed. Xu Qing finally reached the end of the mine. There was nothing there. The surrounding soil was crystallized, and the high temperature made it even hotter.
Standing here.
Xu Qing looked around and suddenly spoke.
"Senior, I found this person on the road. Is he looking for you?"
"Yes."
As soon as Xu Qing spoke, a cold voice came from the wall.
"Clansmen that don't abide by the rules are useless!"
"Yes."
Even so, the wall at the side still twisted and turned into a vortex. Duanmu Zang's figure walked out from it. He raised his right hand and grabbed the human that Xu Qing had picked up from the air.
Xu Qing let go and the armored human youth flew into the vortex. Duanmu Zang grabbed him and threw him behind him. Then he looked up at Xu Qing.
"Kid, what are you doing here?"
"Yes."
After several encounters, Xu Qing had some judgment of this old man's actions and why he asked something he already knew the answer to. So he didn't say anything about the jade slip, but directly asked.
"Heavens, 100 Spirit Stones!"
"Hmph."
The old man snorted coldly.
"1,000 Spirit Stones a day!"
"Hmph."
"Deal!"
"Hmph."
Xu Qing nodded.
The old man glanced at Xu Qing and took a few steps back.
Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and released the poison in his body. He was ready to explode if he was ambushed. Then, he took a step and went straight for the vortex.
As he stepped in, his figure disappeared. The vortex also dissipated quickly. — Everything was normal.
On the other side of the wall, when Xu Qing appeared, he was already in a cave. There were many broken statues lying around. Some were headless, some were missing limbs.
Apart from that, the entire cave was empty.
As for the human youth, he was nowhere to be seen. Only Duanmu Zang was sitting cross-legged on the neck of a headless statue, staring at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing quickly looked around and sensed behind him. Then, his eyes narrowed.
At the entrance behind him was a huge wall. There were thousands of masks and a similar number of mirrors on it.
These masks were made with special methods after the death of the Heavenly Mask Tribe members. The mirrors were the same.
The mask of the Heavenly Mask Tribe member who wanted to attack Xu Qing was also among them.
"In order to adapt to this place, these two tribes have evolved many abilities. They use them to block the sea of fire. Together with some special methods and the layout of this place, they can avoid the heavenly fire to a certain extent."
"Alright."
There was a hint of arrogance in the old man's voice.
"When the heavenly fire passes through the sky, it will usually last for 100 days. One thousand Spirit Stones per day. 100 days will be 200,000 Spirit Stones. Hand it over."
"Alright."
Xu Qing raised his eyebrows, looked at the old man, and said seriously.
"— 100 days is 100,000 Spirit Stones."
"Alright."
"100,000 Spirit Stones per person. You also have a snake. Isn't that 200,000 Spirit Stones?"
The old man glared at him.
"I don't have that many Spirit Stones."
"Alright."
Xu Qing said honestly. He had many spirit notes, but not many Spirit Stones. Therefore, he took out a Dharma artifact and placed it aside.
"I'll use this to offset it."
"Alright."
The old man glanced at it, raised his hand, and grabbed it. He nodded.
"Alright."
"Alright."
After he finished speaking, his eyes shone with cold light, and his tone was somber.
"I'm only helping you this time because you're a human. But listen carefully. Everything outside this stone cave is forbidden. If you trespass … don't blame me for not taking into account the feelings of the human race!"
"Alright."
Xu Qing nodded.
The old man gave Xu Qing a meaningful look, then turned and disappeared into the stone cave.
Xu Qing's expression was the same as ever. After checking around, he confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the place. He could tell that the statues were very old, and there were no humans in them. Instead, there were dragons and snakes coiled around them, exuding killing intent.
Although they were all incomplete, it seemed that when the statues were complete, they had been in a state of worship. Furthermore, this place was cold and gloomy, making it more like a tomb.
"Could it be that this place used to be a tomb?"
Xu Qing pondered.
Xu Qing looked around thoughtfully, then found a statue and sat down cross-legged. Ling 'er popped out of his collar, looked around, and then quietly said, "What's the matter?
"Big brother Xu Qing, this place seems to have something to do with us Ancientspirits.
"Alright."
Xu Qing's heart trembled, and he looked at Ling 'er.
Ling 'er looked around carefully, then whispered.
"Big brother Xu Qing, these statues are indeed divine statues of the Ancientspirits. Our race is born as snakes, and when we reach adulthood, we take human form. If our bloodline is strong enough, then after we break through the shackles of cultivation, we'll be accompanied by heavenly dragons. From then on, the dragons and snakes will protect us, making us invincible.
"Alright.
From the looks of it, this is the tomb of one of our race's ancestors.
"Alright.
"Generally speaking, the tombs of our clan have many levels. Big brother Xu Qing, there should be an even larger tomb below. This is only the first level.
"Alright.
I can sense that the restrictive spells in the tomb are still there. Big brother Xu Qing, I should be able to open the entrance to the next floor. "
She felt that she could finally be of help to big brother Xu Qing.
Xu Qing looked around carefully, then stroked Ling 'er's head and said softly, "Don't worry.
"There's no need to open it. Since the current owner of this place doesn't want us to disturb them, we'll just wait here for the heavenly fire to finish and then leave.
"Alright.
Xu Qing was a person who knew his limits. Since they were making a deal, he was willing to abide by the rules of the deal unless absolutely necessary.
Ling 'er looked pensive. She felt that big brother Xu Qing's way of doing things was different from her father's, so she remembered this and prepared to learn from him.
Time flew, and half a month passed.
The heavenly fire outside became more and more terrifying. It burned the world, and all living things trembled.
From afar, it looked like the wrath of a god. It was a shocking sight.
The rumbling was louder than heavenly thunder. The entire sea of heavenly fire had sunk too much. Most of the magma was sucked into the sky, and the severed hand was already far away.
In the mine, in the tomb of the Ancientspirits, Xu Qing kept his promise and didn't take half a step out of the cave. He was still cultivating, and Duanmu Zang didn't appear again. Everything was peaceful.
Ling 'er was also very obedient. She didn't explore deeper. For her, as long as she was by big brother Xu Qing's side, everything was incomparably satisfying.
Only occasionally, she felt that she was a little useless.
"I also need to quickly digest the power of providence of the Ancientspirit Royalty in my body and speed up the advancement of my bloodline."
Ling 'er thought so in her heart and did so.
On the seventeenth day, Xu Qing's cultivation was interrupted by a visitor.
The light of an array formation flashed on the ground of the cave, and a cautious figure quickly walked out.
It wasn't Duanmu Zang, but a human youth in a green robe.
Xu Qing opened her eyes. She recognized this person as the unconscious man she had saved half a month ago. He was still very weak at the moment, but there wasn't much danger to him.
Clearly, the armor was very useful, and Duanmu Zang would definitely save him.
However, the fire poison in his body was very difficult to expel. Many parts of his body had been burned and withered. His skin couldn't regenerate, making him look a little fierce.
When Xu Qing looked over, the human youth's face was filled with anxiety. He quickly walked over and knelt down before Xu Qing.
"Junior Shi Pangui thanks senior for saving my life!"
"Alright."
Xu Qing sized up the human youth. His name was a little strange, but he didn't ask and calmly said, "It's nothing.
Even if I didn't help, senior Duanmu would have saved you. "
"Alright."
The human youth was still kowtowing. After kowtowing three times, he looked at Xu Qing and nervously spoke.
"No matter what, it was senior who saved me. Junior will remember this favor."
"Alright."
With that, he took out a food box and placed it to the side.
"Junior knows senior's cultivation is high, and junior doesn't have anything valuable. This is some food my wife made. Thank you, senior!"
"Alright."
After the human youth finished speaking, he bowed to Xu Qing once more and then respectfully retreated. He returned to the array formation and disappeared.
Xu Qing looked at the food box. There were some cooked pastries inside, and they emitted an exquisite fragrance. It was obvious that they had been meticulously prepared.
With Xu Qing's attainments in the dao of poison, he could tell whether or not it was poisonous with just a sniff. He picked it up and saw Ling 'er swallowing, so he took a bite and tested it again.
After confirming it, he handed one to Ling 'er.
Ling 'er ate it in one bite and narrowed her eyes.
"Gulp, gulp."
"Alright."
The taste was clearly good, so Ling 'er couldn't help but make the same sound as when she was young.
Seeing that Ling 'er liked it, Xu Qing smiled and gave it all to her.
Then he closed his eyes and continued to cultivate.
Time passed day by day. In the following days, Shi Pangui came many times. Every time he came, he would bring food and be very respectful.
Several times, he wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he couldn't hold back and asked Xu Qing about the human race in the outer domain.
"Senior, I heard from the old king that you came from the outer domain?
Outside … What is our human race like?
"
Shi Pangui's expression was nervous and filled with anticipation.
He couldn't leave the Sacrificial Moon Region in his life. From the moment he was born, his fate was sealed. However, when he was very young, the people around him told him about the glory of the human race and how powerful they were.
However, all he saw was that the human race was lowly and that they were food for the other races.
All kinds of misery, all kinds of sadness, all kinds of things shook his heart and made him feel lost.
In truth, the answer wouldn't change his current situation, but he wanted an answer.
He wanted to know if the human race outside was really as glorious and beautiful as the old people had told him.
This would become his support and pride.
Xu Qing looked at the human youth before him and pondered for a few breaths of time.
His silence caused the light in Shi Pangui's eyes to dim.
"The humans outside are living in peace and contentment. Their lives are very good, and there are not many disputes. Everything is very beautiful. The Human Emperor of this generation is even more talented and bold. Some time ago, he fought against the Black Sky Clan and won a great victory.
"
"As for the other races, they all have to bow their heads before our human race. They either choose to become a subordinate race or have their entire race wiped out.
"
"The human emperor is also worried about the Sacrificial Moon Region. Everything is changing for the better."
"
Xu Qing revealed a smile and spoke in a relaxed manner.
His words and smile caused Shi Pangui's eyes to light up. His breathing quickened and his heart was filled with excitement.
"I knew it would be like this!
"
"Yesterday, Zhou Wangbei argued with me that the human race was incomparably lowly outside. I said it was impossible. Our human race's bloodline is noble, and the Sacrificial Moon Region is like this because we have no choice. Our race once unified the Ancient Wang Region and must be glorious outside!
"
"Thank you, Senior!
"
Shi Pangui was filled with excitement. After bowing to Xu Qing, he left in excitement. He wanted to go back and tell his dao partner, his family, and friends about this.
Xu Qing watched Shi Pangui's figure disappear and sighed.
He understood the reason for his name. Pangui, it meant that he hoped for the glorious return of the human race.
Wangbei, it was because the human race's royal capital was in the north.
In truth, Xu Qing had already guessed what was going on in the lower levels of the tomb.
There should be a group of humans there, and the king they spoke of was Duanmu Zang.
He sheltered some humans so that they could avoid the suffering outside and live here.
This was also why he warned him not to leave this place.
Respect rose in Xu Qing's heart. He got up and looked behind him. He clasped his hands and bowed.
As he bowed, Duanmu Zang's blurry figure appeared on a statue in the distance. He looked at where Shi Pangui left and then at Xu Qing in silence.
A moment later, his hoarse voice echoed in the cave.
"Thank you."
"
"Did the humans outside really win the battle?"
Duanmu Zang looked at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing nodded seriously.
"The Grand Sacred Billow Region now belongs to the human race, and the human race also has their own region treasure."
"
Duanmu Zang took a step and arrived next to Xu Qing. This was the closest they had ever been. In the past, when they met, there was always some distance between them.
After arriving, Duanmu Zang sat to the side and threw a wine flask to Xu Qing.
"Tell me the details."
"
Xu Qing took the wine flask and took a sip. He frowned and took out his own wine from his storage bag and threw it to Duanmu Zang.
Duanmu Zang took it and drank it. His eyes lit up.
Just like that, the two drank wine. Xu Qing slowly told Duanmu Zang about what had happened outside. However, he concealed his identity and only described it from the perspective of a passerby.
During this time, Duanmu Zang didn't say a word. He listened very seriously.
After a long time, the wine was finished and Xu Qing finished speaking.
Duanmu Zang narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.
"This seventh prince, what you saw was his actions and the decree of the Human Emperor, but you overlooked one point. His mother's race!"
"
Xu Qing's expression froze.
"He's just a prince. Even if he has courage, he must have a deep foundation to be able to handle such a situation so easily. Therefore, I think that his mother's race might not be the human race. Even if they are, they must be extraordinary!"
""
"And the Human Emperor. Interesting. I feel that he actually knows everything … Because when you look at the results, the results seem to be within his control."
""
"There seems to be a big hand behind the scenes that has been firmly controlling everything."
""
After Duanmu Zang finished speaking, he looked up at Xu Qing and said something meaningful.
"The origin of this matter is Sealed Sea County. If I were the Human Emperor, I would have arranged for a trustworthy person to be my eyes in Sealed Sea County."
""
"But his cultivation can't be too high, or others will guess."
""
Xu Qing's expression was normal, but his heart was in turmoil.
Duanmu Zang didn't say much. He stood up and walked into the distance. As his figure gradually faded, he suddenly paused and turned to look at Xu Qing.
"Do you want to see my home?"
""