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Meanwhile, Duke Heaven Zenith continued with his explanation. “At the same time, in the depths of Ten Entrails of the True Immortal, there exists a power that can drive people insane. Anyone assailed by that power goes completely mad. They can’t tell the difference between enemies and allies, and their personality changes so that they think they’re a Woe-Immortal.

“Most bizarre of all, according to the records of the thirty-six city states, is that people who go into the depths and return alive never live long. What’s more, they all die after their bellies are ripped open and their entrails fly out and dance around.

“In some cases, they rip open their own bellies. But sometimes... their entrails explode out from inside. Because of that, people say that the depths of the jungle contains a power that can cause a living being's entrails to come to life. Other times when people go into the depths, different things happen. Every time the tree blooms, new and different gruish phenomena appear. Because there’s no set pattern, it makes it even more dangerous.

“That’s why our thirty-six city-states don’t go into the depths. We harvest dao fruits around the perimeter. Oh, right. There’s actually another legend about True Immortal....”

Duke Heaven Zenith looked at Xu Qing, lowered his voice, and continued, “The descendants of the Woe-Immortals have a legend that all the dangers are designed to keep outsiders away. If you think of this place as a tomb, then all of these things are here to keep tomb raiders away.

“The reason why people die trying to go inside is that nobody knows the proper way to enter. The dangerous things fit together like a puzzle, therefore, the only way to get inside safely is to follow the right path. Even if that’s true, the local people who descended from the Woe-Immortals don’t know the correct way to enter. Therefore, the legend became nothing more than that: a true legend.”

Xu Qing glanced casually at the Captain and thought about what he’d said earlier about the ‘heaven-shaking, earth-shattering, absolutely consummate and spectacular bit of amazing good fortune.’

Eldest Brother knows so much about this place that I have to wonder if he really got all his information from intelligence reports back in the county capital.

Xu Qing mulled everything over as they proceeded.

Time passed until the day was over and the sky started to turn dark. As evening fell, Xu Qing led the group from the periphery of Ten Entrails of the True Immortal to the spot that marked the border of its depths. It was a literal border that had been artificially created. Paint had been used to mark the ground at a certain distance around all of Ten Entrails of the True Immortal.

They stopped there.

As far as Xu Qing was concerned, he had benefited a lot on this day. Thanks to Duke Heaven Zenith leading the way, and having the Black Guard cultivators to harvest fruit, Xu Qing now had over 3,000 dao fruits in his collection. They had encountered quite a few dangerous situations, but the Black Guard cultivators had easily resolved them all. Especially noteworthy was Lin Yuandong, who loyally stood guard in front of Xu Qing. All it took was a nod from Xu Qing to get him even more roused up.

Xu Qing stood on the border, looking off into the distance. Duke Heaven Zenith stood next to him.

“Exalted Godchild, this is probably far enough. This line has been maintained by the thirty-six city-states for generation after generation. It marks the spot where the true dangers begin.

“Your humble servant has already acquired the shadeheaven demonmoon pills you asked for. They’re currently being transported here from Heaven Zenith. As for the dao fruits you require, I’ve talked things over with the other city-states. In half a month, the city-states will pool their harvests to provide you what you need.”

Xu Qing exchanged a glance with the Captain, then calmly said, “Where’s my life lamp, Zhou Xingwu?”

Lin Yuandong heard that and shivered. Meanwhile, Zhou Xingwu grimly said, “Exalted one, voice messages here aren’t working well, so your humble servant has no way of knowing how things turned out. I imagine we’ll have an answer when we get back.”

Sitting down cross-legged, Xu Qing said, “You go back and check. Bring the life lamp back with you. I’ll wait here.”

Zhou Xingwu frowned slightly. Based on Xu Qing’s wording, it seemed clear that he wasn’t planning on returning to the duchy of Heaven Zenith, and was instead planning to enter the depths of Ten Entrails of the True Immortal.

Why does this godchild want a life lamp so badly? His eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to decide what to do.

Meanwhile, Duke Heaven Zenith looked deeply at Xu Qing and said, “Exalted Godchild, could it be that you have a secret magic which can tap into the bloodline in a life lamp to dispel some of the curses in Ten Entrails of the True Immortal? Is that how you plan to enter its depths?”

Xu Qing was somewhat surprised to hear that, and looked over at the duke.

However, the duke wasn’t looking at him, and was instead leaning over and whispering to Zhou Xingwu. “Exalted Zhou, the godchild issued a command! Why are you standing around?”

Zhou Xingwu thought it over for a moment, then suppressed any suspicions he had. This entire matter didn’t really have much to do with him personally, as long as he did his job. Therefore, he left some of the Black Guard cultivators behind, and took the rest with him as he went back toward Heaven Zenith.

After they were gone, things got quiet. The red of the evening sun slowly turned into deep darkness. Duke Heaven Zenith stood in place, occasionally looking back in the direction of his duchy, and occasionally looking beyond it, toward the kingdom of Heavengale and his son. As a result, his expression contained mixed emotions.

The Captain glanced at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing, meanwhile, had cast his senses out into the evening, and could sense some pressure that came from the Nightshade divine likeness. There was no way Xu Qing would just go into Ten Entrails of the True Immortal without being fully prepared. Although he hadn’t fully supplanted the divine likeness with the power of the violet moon, he was still able to send it orders.

A moment later, as all the Black Guard cultivators were meditating, the duke turned to Xu Qing.

“Exalted godchild,” he said softly, “how are my son’s natural talents?”

“Mu Ye is extraordinarily wise,” Xu Qing said calmly. “He had excellent talent. The Holytide caste system was doing nothing but holding him back from a good future.”

The afterglow of sunset made it impossible for anyone to read the duke’s facial expression.

“I’m in the fourth level,” he said quietly. “The warrior caste. Unless a heaven-defying cultivator appeared among my descendants, they would all be in the same caste.... Luckily, you took a liking to Mu Ye, oh exalted Godchild. And you raised him to the highest caste level of all, the first.

“Exalted godchild, your true goal has always been to enter the depths of the jungle. Am I right? Sir, as a godchild of the Nightshades, it makes sense that the cathedral would send some Holytides to help you. Or perhaps since you’re going into such a dangerous location, they would arrange for a dao protector....”

Xu Qing suddenly felt a sinking feeling. Meanwhile, the Captain edged a bit closer to him. And yet, they quickly realized that the surrounding Black Guard cultivators all had their eyes closed. It seemed they had unwittingly lost consciousness.

“I understand,” the duke murmured. “Exalted Godchild, you likely have an enemy among the Nightshades, someone with a lot of power. Besides, you’re not the only godchild, right? There must be fierce competition to deal with. That’s why you came here alone, to acquire some unknown good fortune. It’s similar to the succession wars that happen in the Heavengale Dynasty. That said, though you have enemies to deal with, dealing with nobodies like us, even changing our caste level, is hardly worth mentioning. At least, that’s what makes the most logical sense.”

The duke turned to look at Xu Qing with a profound expression on his face. “Exalted one, after you go into the depths of Ten Entrails of the True Immortal... will you return? Sir... you’re not coming back, are you?”

The duke’s murmurings moments ago had seemed more like self-consolation. After all, even though he was only in charge of a relatively small duchy, he was obviously an extraordinary individual. At this point, it didn’t matter whether he was still suspicious of Xu Qing or not. The issue of changing Mu Ye’s caste level had bound them together.

“I have other things to take care of,” Xu Qing said. “So no, I won’t be returning.” He was actually being truthful, although there was nothing inherently dangerous about that.

Hearing the answer to his question, Duke Heaven Zenith had nothing further to say, so he sat down cross-legged and maintained silence.

At the same time, the surrounding Black Guard cultivators opened their eyes and looked around. Clearly, they had no idea that they had just been unconscious.

Thus, time passed. Late in the night, a piercing sound echoed out from the distant jungle. Duke Heaven Zenith’s eyes glittered coldly as Zhou Xingwu and his subordinates flew in their direction.

Zhou Xingwu’s expression was the same as ever, but his heart was pounding. And the reason for that was the life lamp he had brought with him! The Heavengale Dynasty really did have life lamps to dole out. The fact they had given one further cemented Xu Qing’s identity into his heart. Upon arriving, he clasped hands and held out a crimson life lamp toward Xu Qing.

Despite Xu Qing’s level of control over his reactions, when he saw that life lamp, he couldn’t stop his heart from pounding. He extended his hand, and the red life lamp flew over to him. It resembled a red wing. Not a pair of wings. A single wing. It was carved to be extremely lifelike, and it emanated a bloody, baleful aura. One look at it made it obvious it was a life centered on slaughter. And its fluctuations were astonishingly extraordinary.

Xu Qing felt a bit dazed holding it. Truth be told, not even he had been convinced that his ruse would work. But this was a life lamp, just like the two life lamps he had already risked his life to acquire.

A third life lamp! Xu Qing suppressed his excitement. He couldn’t just put a life lamp in his bag of holding, but at the same time, now wasn’t a convenient moment to absorb it. After examining it carefully, he put it into the fold of his robe.

Qing Qiu and Ning Yan looked at that life lamp, and their minds spun.

Gritting her teeth, Qing Qiu cursed him inwardly. That dog-fucking Nightshade! I’ve worked myself to the bone but never managed to get even one life lamp. But this Nightshade just asks for one and gets it...?

Ning Yan was equally shaken.

Clasping hands respectfully, the duke said, “Exalted godchild, now that you have your life lamp, what do we do next?”

“Enter the depths!” Xu Qing replied. With that, he stepped over the border line.

The Captain followed close behind, his eyes glittering. Qing Qiu and Ning Yan had no choice but to also follow.

Zhou Xingwu, meanwhile, hesitated.

“Exalted Zhou,” the duke said solemnly, “I’m responsible for guarding the godchild. The road forward will be very dangerous, so the two of us need to cooperate to make sure no harm comes to the godchild.” With that, he strode over the border.

Zhou Xingwu frowned, but didn’t say anything. He just led the Black Guard cultivators over the border. The moment they stepped across that border, something dramatic happened.

The very same dancing figure that had appeared in a vision to Xu Qing... now appeared again. The figure was surrounded by an illusory sea of flames that swayed and writhed along with the dancing. Gradually, more such figures appeared, and along with them came that ancient chanting.

The sight caused Xu Qing’s heart to sink a bit.

The Captain’s eyes glittered, and though no one was able to tell, deep in his eyes appeared faces that resembled his own. The faces opened their mouths and spoke, but no sound came out. However, based on the shape of the lips... they were chanting the same thing as that ancient voice.

A moment later, those faces vanished. The Captain blinked a few times, and then his mouth twitched into a strange smile.

Meanwhile, the surrounding Black Guard cultivators as well as Duke Heaven Zenith were looking into the depths of the jungle, serious expressions on their faces.

“Exalted Godchild, please be careful. Something seems off here. This isn’t how this place usually is. Whether based on my personal experience or the historical records I’ve read, I can say confidently that this phenomenon is supposed to happen in the very depths, not right here!”