Facing Calamity

"That golden Extreme Star guided me to Flowing Wind City and told me that, eighteen years later, a tremendous opportunity would appear here, telling me to settle down here...

"The final Extreme Star entered your body. When I examined you then, I found nothing unusual... The only strange thing was that all fifty-four of your Mystic Gates had been opened..." She paused briefly.

Hearing this, Xiao Feng immediately thought of the voice he had heard not long ago when he happened to encounter Bing Hanxue... Could it... have been the same one?

"Feng'er! There is something you must listen to me about... You have been unable to break through for a full twelve years. I feel that the opportunity mentioned by that voice might be your chance to break through to the God Tribulation Realm!"

"So I hope you can remain in Flowing Wind City this year, because this year is the final deadline of the eighteen-year period mentioned by that voice."

"..."

Even if you successfully break through to the God Tribulation Realm by then, do not rush to come to the Vermilion Bird Empire to find me. I am very safe in the Vermilion Bird Empire and will not be in any danger... If your cultivation is not strong enough and you go to the Vermilion Bird Empire, once you are captured, you will become leverage they can use against me...

Bai Ling'er did not tell Xiao Feng not to come, because she knew that even if she said so, Xiao Feng would not listen. Instead, it might only stir up his worries. It was better to explain the stakes to him...

"The person who came here to fetch me this time is named Fu Chi Yao. She is a Blue-Robed Envoy of the Creation God Sect. She climbed step by step from an ordinary commoner to her current position, so she possesses a compassion for the weak that many others lack..."

"But Feng'er... there are far too many madmen in the Creation God Sect. Most of them pursue higher realms of the profound path with near-crazed obsession, especially one particular faction..."

Boom! Boom! Boom...

A massive tremor suddenly struck, shaking the Mystic Shadow Stone straight onto the ground. Bai Ling'er's recorded image vanished before she could finish speaking...

The sudden tremor nearly knocked Xiao Feng to the ground. Fortunately, Qi Qingyun was beside him and supported him, preventing him from falling.

Xiao Feng bent down, picked up the Mystic Shadow Stone, and put it away. Though many things had not been explained in detail.

Still... the general outline of what had happened had already formed in Xiao Feng's mind.

Just as he was about to ask Qi Qingyun what had happened, he saw her staring blankly toward the city gate outside the window...

Seeing the expression on Qi Qingyun's face, he was slightly surprised. He then looked toward where she was gazing, but the moment he did, he froze in place just like her...

After a long silence... Xiao Feng asked with difficulty, "Why has the City Defense Array been activated?!"

The City Defense Array was not normally activated lightly, because every activation consumed enormous amounts of Abyssal Stones and Abyssal Crystals. The cost was immense, and it would generally only be activated when facing a beast tide or a calamity capable of destroying the city.

Thus, Xiao Feng had no memory whatsoever of the last time Flowing Wind City had activated the City Defense Array. Or perhaps it had never been used since Flowing Wind City was established!

Yet it had suddenly been activated this time, without any notice. From Qi Qingyun's expression, Xiao Feng could tell that even she had known nothing about it!

For something as significant as activating the City Defense Array, there was no reason for the Qi Family not to inform her. And if Qi Qingyun did not know, did that not mean that even the Qi Family was unaware of it?

What kind of crisis had they encountered to trigger it so abruptly?

"I... don't know..." Just as Xiao Feng had expected, Qi Qingyun truly had no idea about this.

Then... what was the purpose of activating it this time?

Staring at the suddenly activated City Defense Array, Xiao Feng frowned. "Qingyun... do you... feel like this array is moving?"

He watched the abruptly activated City Defense Array, yet he felt that it was different from how the ancient texts had described it.

Qi Qingyun said, "I noticed it too. The City Defense Array is actually continuously drawing inward, as if deliberately shrinking the space within the city... Could it... be increasing the defensive power of the City Defense Array?"

She voiced an explanation that even she did not quite believe, but at this moment, it seemed to be the only reasonable one...

Xiao Feng was just about to speak when he suddenly sensed an immense force gradually approaching his location...

Suddenly, as if she had sensed something, Qi Qingyun cried out, "It's Divine Source Power! This power is Divine Source Power!"

"Divine Source Power? What is that?" Xiao Feng had heard the term more than once today. Just what was Divine Source Power?

Qi Qingyun said, "Most Divine Source Power is a source of strength left behind when true gods fell in ancient times, meant to continue their inheritance...

"But some true gods died without leaving behind an inheritance. Divine Source Power would remain where their divine bodies fell.

"But because this Divine Source Power was not left behind as an inheritance, but was instead produced after death, it contained extremely terrifying negative emotions and could not be used at all."

"I see..." Xiao Feng nodded in understanding.

"Actually, this kind of Divine Source Power is strictly speaking impossible to extract, but because of the Creation..." Qi Qingyun clearly wanted to add more, but before she could finish, a thunderous boom rang out.

Boom!

The sudden sound of something slamming into the ground reached their ears, followed by an overwhelming, powerful profound energy pressure and dense Divine Source Power!

Xiao Feng sensed the newcomer's profound energy aura... It was an aura he knew all too well, yet it was releasing terrifying profound might... It was Ximen Qing!

"Xiao Feng, get the hell out here!" Ximen Qing's voice reached Xiao Feng's ears... It really was him!

Qi Qingyun looked at Xiao Feng. Seeing him nod, she led him outside.

Ximen Qing saw Xiao Feng emerge, a refined smile appearing on his face. But then he saw Qi Qingyun supporting Xiao Feng beside him.

The smile instantly vanished from his face, replaced by startled disbelief. "Qingyun... you... why are you in Xiao Feng's house?!"

"I have already pledged my life to Xiao Feng, and I am not familiar with you," Qi Qingyun explained succinctly.

Hearing this, Ximen Qing froze, then urgently said, "Xiao Feng is trash who cannot even break through to the God Tribulation Realm. You will never have a good future with him. We are the perfect match!"

"Now, I have received the blessing of the gods. When the time comes, all of Flowing Wind City will become a sacrifice for my coronation, and you... will be my divine empress!"

The instant his words fell, profound energy surged around him—Boom!

Overwhelming profound might erupted from him. It was clearly the profound might of the peak God King Realm!

"God... King!" Xiao Feng spoke with difficulty.

Just days ago, Ximen Qing had only been at level ten of the God Spirit Realm, yet now he had risen at an unreasonable speed directly to level ten of the God King Realm!

That was an entire major realm and ten minor realms of advancement. How was that possible?!

Qi Qingyun frowned as she looked at Ximen Qing, whose aura was chaotic. "You are a follower of the Creation God Sect!"

Ximen Qing was momentarily stunned by Qi Qingyun's words, then realized something. "That's right... I forgot that you are now a retainer knight. Then you must know how powerful the Creation God Sect is...

"Now that I have received the blessings of the divine sect, my future will surely be limitless. So... I am the one truly worthy of you... Qingyun!"

Looking at Ximen Qing's reddened eyes, Qi Qingyun sternly said, "Ximen Qing, have you still not realized it? You are being used. Divine Source Power extracted directly cannot be used at all. The Divine Source Power you absorbed carries the resentment of dead true gods. If you keep absorbing it, you will suffer cultivation deviation, explode, and die!"

"Qingyun... you are lying to me... I will prove it to you with facts!" Divine Source Power extracted in an instant crazily surged into Ximen Qing's body!

"Ahhhhhh!"

As Divine Source Power entered Ximen Qing's body, a shrill scream burst from his mouth. Then... crack... the sound of shackles breaking rang out. Ximen Qing's profound might changed once again. The profound might he now released was astonishingly at level three of the God Monarch Realm!

"Qingyun... do you see? I am completely fine! Hahaha! This is the divine sect's blessing! Hahahaha!"

Xiao Feng stared in shock at the vast profound energy surrounding Ximen Qing, then looked toward Qi Qingyun. Yet she too was standing there blankly as she watched Ximen Qing's cultivation break through. Clearly, she had not expected this outcome either...

"Could the Abyssal Knight have been wrong?" Qi Qingyun murmured softly. For the first time, she doubted what the Abyssal Knight had told her. How was this completely different from what she had been told?

"Come... Qingyun, throw yourself into my arms. Once I become a true god, you will still be my divine empress. And Xiao Feng will only be a stepping stone beneath my feet!"

Qi Qingyun stepped forward, shielding Xiao Feng behind her. "Can't you feel it yet? You have already gone mad. It is not too late for you to stop now."

"I am not mad! How could I possibly be mad?!" Ximen Qing stared viciously at Qi Qingyun standing before Xiao Feng. "Do you really prefer a piece of trash who can only hide behind a woman and cannot break through?!"

Hearing this, Xiao Feng was about to step forward when Qi Qingyun stretched out an arm to stop him. "Don't go over there. Although I do not know why he can continuously bear Divine Source Power, his mind has already been muddled by its erosion."

"This time, let me protect you!"

"I..." Xiao Feng was about to speak, but seeing the grave expression on Qi Qingyun's face, he silently stepped behind her... He knew that with his current cultivation, he could not do anything at all...

Watching the two act as if he did not exist, Ximen Qing said viciously, "So you are unwilling... Fine, then... In a moment, you can watch as I personally cripple Xiao Feng. Then you will know who is truly the most worthy person to entrust yourself to!"

Boom!

The ground around Ximen Qing cracked apart as his body shot forward. Holding the Ice Soul Sword, he fiercely slashed at Xiao Feng, icy-blue sword might rushing directly toward him.

Clang! Sizzle...

A cold light flashed in Qi Qingyun's eyes. A longsword appeared in her hand, carrying pure white sword radiance as it collided fiercely with the Ice Soul Sword. The powerful impact stirred a violent hurricane... Her hair fluttered wildly in the gale.

Bang!

The brief clash ended, and Qi Qingyun was blasted several miles away.

Ximen Qing, meanwhile, had merely been forced back several meters. The disparity in their current strength was clear.

Yet Ximen Qing showed no joy at all. His expression was as unpleasant as if he had eaten shit.

The blasted-away Qi Qingyun was caught firmly in Xiao Feng's arms, cushioning the impact...

Xiao Feng looked at Qi Qingyun in his arms. "You are not hurt, are you? Ximen Qing has now advanced to the God Monarch Realm. He is not someone we can contend with. Let's return to the Qi Family and find the Qi Family Head."

Qi Qingyun shook her head. "Ximen Qing will not let us leave. I will hold him off while you go find my adoptive father."

"No, I absolutely will not agree to that. If someone is going to hold him off... it should be me!"

"...You love-struck doomed pair still have the leisure to flirt!" Ximen Qing's face twitched. "Then you can die together!"

PS: If, while reading, you find certain chapters incoherent or the plot unbearably awful.

If some lines feel especially off-putting, you can directly leave a comment on the book.

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I don't deserve this..."