Chapter Seventy-Three: The Youth in the Black Robe

Two consecutive self-detonations, each fiercer than the last—even though Qingxu had prepared in advance and decisively fled, he still endured the terrifying aftermath.

The force of the self-detonation by the Dark Spirit was no less than the full-strength blow of an early-stage True Immortal, while the subsequent triple-yin abyss was more than twice as powerful. Especially since these two explosions occurred in quick succession, their effects compounded. It could be said that Qingxu bore the brunt equivalent to a mid-stage True Immortal’s might.

Under ordinary circumstances, Qingxu would not fear such an onslaught. But now, he was dealing with rampant energy within his body, his form gravely injured, and his avatar’s power depleted by seventy to eighty percent. Most crucially, his Dao body could no longer withstand great magical impacts; the remaining power of his avatar could barely manifest a tenth of its usual strength. This was the weakest moment since his cultivation began—he feared even a Nascent Soul cultivator could seize the opportunity to finish him.

To prevent his Dao body from being destroyed, Qingxu released nearly all the remaining power of his avatar to form a protective immortal shield. His mind focused entirely on controlling the Central Xu-Yi Apricot Banner, layering hundreds of innate Xu-Yi lotus shields around himself. His preparations were thorough, yet still inferior to the force of the explosions below.

Bang! Bang! Bang!...

Crack! Crack! Crack!...

Under the shockwaves, layer after layer of the innate Xu-Yi shields shattered, each lotus platform splintering and vanishing. Although the Central Xu-Yi Apricot Banner could regenerate as long as its power was sustained, it required time. Now, however, each wave of impact followed hard upon the last, offering no chance for the banner to recover.

After withstanding the third wave, the Central Xu-Yi Apricot Banner finally succumbed to the fourth. With a mournful cry, the spirit banner shrank rapidly to three inches, its radiance dimmed to utter gloom, clearly gravely injured.

With its power lost, the Central Xu-Yi Apricot Banner flashed into Qingxu’s spiritual palace, leaving only the immortal shield to face the shockwaves.

Spurt!

All at once, the pressure bore down on the immortal shield, and Qingxu felt a jarring discomfort in his mind, unable to suppress a mouthful of reverse blood that splattered across the shield before him.

“Judging by the situation, it won’t calm down anytime soon!” Qingxu mused inwardly. He knew his own condition; he could not endure for long. His only option now was to rely on the Supreme Purity Immortal Talisman.

He activated the defensive function of the Supreme Purity Immortal Talisman, which reduced the massive expenditure of summoning his avatar. Its defense could be regulated, enough to withstand part of a mid-stage True Immortal’s power without consuming much immortal energy, and it lasted several days—hardly affecting the cultivation of his Three Purities avatar.

With the Supreme Purity Immortal Talisman’s defense, Qingxu could finally rest easy and watch events unfold.

“Yazi’s cultivation is only at the early stage of True Immortal—its fate is uncertain. But its Yazi Blade is an innate spiritual treasure and should not be destroyed. Even if damaged, it can recover on its own. I mustn’t let it slip away!” Innate spiritual treasures were rare, publicly acknowledged in the Great Wilderness; even the Celestial Saints coveted them. Now, presented with a chance to gain one effortlessly, Qingxu was naturally excited.

Yet it wasn’t just Yazi that delighted Qingxu, but also Qiongqi. The Dark Spirit was, after all, a manifestation of Qiongqi; its self-detonation inevitably wounded Qiongqi’s mind, and the triple-yin abyss likewise. Its situation was dire, especially since those yin-fiend thunderballs were not easily conjured—they likely depleted all of Qiongqi’s power.

The Devouring King Beast!

The innate spiritual treasure Yazi Blade!

The reward from the Investiture of Gods system!

Three benefits lay before Qingxu, making him feel as if in a dream, with only one sensation in his heart—exhilaration!

As the earth, fire, water, and wind below gradually subsided, the shockwaves no longer touched Qingxu. The vast clouds of yin-fiend energy in the heavens dissipated, revealing Qiongqi’s figure entirely exposed, relying on its twin wings to hover feebly. Its body was weak, its gaze devoid of vitality.

“Even the power to stay aloft is lacking? Wonderful, truly wonderful!” Qiongqi’s state was even worse than Qingxu had anticipated. Now it relied solely on physical strength; its magical power was utterly spent, its divine abilities unusable. Should it attempt its most ferocious Blood Fiend Malice, it would risk backlash and annihilate its own soul.

Qiongqi’s scheme had succeeded, just as it relaxed, it suddenly spotted the spirited Qingxu below. Clearly, Qingxu was severely injured, but his soul remained untouched—without the Dao body’s magical arts, he was no different from his peak.

“How can this be? Is this Daoist even human?” Qiongqi’s eyes widened in disbelief. In its previous calculations, Qingxu should have been obliterated, not even bones remaining; Yazi might have survived with heavy wounds, but Qingxu was certain to die, and die utterly. Never did it expect this outcome.

Qingxu’s condition had disrupted Qiongqi’s plan. The Profound Demon Sword was now unreachable, and even its life hung by a thread.

“This cannot be! It’s not real, none of this is real...!” Qiongqi shook its head, murmuring in stupefied disbelief.

“Stop pretending, Qiongqi. In your current state, escape is impossible. Without magical power, your flight speed isn’t worth my attention,” Qingxu sneered.

“Hmph! Even if I must die, you won’t have it easy. I can still self-destruct this body,” Qiongqi, seeing its ruse to weaken Qingxu’s resolve had failed, adopted a defiant stance—like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water.

A matter of mutual deterrence.

It must be admitted, Qiongqi had succeeded; Qingxu did not wish to give up the Devouring King Beast.

“You threaten me?” Though Qingxu dared not truly push Qiongqi to self-detonation, outwardly he remained cold and stern.

“I don’t want to die, nor do you wish to lose your only chance to restore the Devouring King Beast. How about we each take a step back? Swear to spare my life, help me seize a body of an innate creature, and I’ll gift you the Qiongqi form.”

Qiongqi’s proposal was indeed tempting for Qingxu, as it was entirely beneficial. The Devouring King Beast, evolved from three ferocious beasts, had only the form but not the essence; its ancient memories incomplete, it was of little use. But with Qiongqi added, the situation changed.

One could say Qiongqi was the key to unlocking the Devouring King Beast’s great treasure. For this reason, Qiongqi was confident Qingxu would accept its offer. Naturally, it was reluctant to abandon the Devouring King Beast, having paid such a price and betrayed the Muddy Dragon. But now, survival was paramount.

“Which of you possesses innate demonic Dao?” A cool inquiry suddenly sounded from several hundred feet above Qiongqi’s head, startling both Qiongqi and Qingxu. Neither had sensed anyone’s arrival, especially Qingxu, whose avatar’s cultivation was at the early stage of True Immortal. For someone to approach undetected, they must be at least a Great Golden Immortal.

Looking up, they saw the questioner: dressed in black robes, with a handsome face, about twenty years old, clean-shaven, with jet-black hair flowing to the waist, casually draped behind. His arms were folded behind, exuding an innate authority like a king reigning over the world, holding life and death in his grasp. Most striking were his eyes—deep, vast, ancient, and desolate, reflecting the vicissitudes of ages, witnessing the changing universe.

“This black-robed youth bears a profound ancient aura—could he be a surviving powerhouse from times long past?” Qingxu speculated in his heart.