"You've had some fortuitous encounters, to have actually met senior brother Donghua."
Patriarch Black Turtle was delighted to hear this. "I never imagined that you and Patriarch Lu were fellow disciples, senior. I was indeed fortunate enough to hear Patriarch Lu expound the Dao 870,000 years ago."
Although he knew the two men before him were no ordinary people, he had not expected one of them to be connected to Patriarch Lu.
Back then, he had encountered Lü Dongbin while the latter was traveling through the Seven Wonders World and had gained some fortuitous opportunities. Only then had he risen from a Wanxiang turtle demon to become the strongest of the demon race.
"In that case, you could just about be considered a disciple of my Daoist Sect."
As he spoke, Zhou Qing assumed a thoughtful pose.
"You've been reasonably loyal to my elder brother over the years, and you have some affinity with my Daoist Sect. After giving it some thought, I've decided to grant you a few benefits."
"Thank you, senior." At Zhou Qing's words, Patriarch Black Turtle immediately knelt and kowtowed in thanks.
At the same time, however, he suddenly thought of something and began to hesitate.
In the end, he gritted his teeth and said, "Senior, I have a dear friend named Heming who is also on good terms with Wu Sui. I wonder if..."
After saying this, he lowered his head, not daring to look at Zhou Qing.
A faint smile curved Zhou Qing's lips.
They really were good bros, not forgetting each other even when there were benefits to be had.
But even if Patriarch Black Turtle had not mentioned him, Zhou Qing would not have forgotten Old Immortal Heming.
During the first simulation, after learning that Zhou Qing was about to undergo his Heavenly Tribulation, Old Immortal Heming had been concerned for his friend's safety and had lent him his only Immortal-rank magic treasure.
Patriarch Black Turtle had gone even further and lent Zhou Qing his lifebound magic treasure.
Although the simulation had ultimately failed, Zhou Qing had always remembered their kindness.
"Rise. Since you've put it that way, one more won't make much difference."
Patriarch Black Turtle's face lit up with wild joy at Zhou Qing's words.
"Thank you, senior! I thank you on Heming's behalf."
Once Patriarch Black Turtle had calmed down somewhat, Zhou Qing took out two golden scrolls and held them out to him.
"What are these?"
Patriarch Black Turtle looked at the two scrolls before him, both emanating an ancient air, with a puzzled expression.
He then opened the scrolls and saw that each bore only a single line of small characters and a signature.
"Sentenced to the Path of Devas. Taixu."
After reading the name "Taixu" in the signature, Patriarch Black Turtle suddenly felt his heart tremble, as though some terrifying being had fixed its gaze on him.
"These are reincarnation decrees from our Netherworld Bureau," Lord Cui stepped forward and explained.
"For a Loose Immortal such as yourself, if the day comes when you feel unable to withstand the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, you may take this decree to the Underworld of the Netherworld Bureau and reincarnate."
"Whoever holds this decree may enter the Path of Devas and be reborn in the Heaven Realm as a deva, regardless of the merits or sins of their previous life."
"Unlike ordinary reincarnated immortals, who have difficulty awakening their memories, devas automatically awaken the memories of their previous lives at sixteen. Their path of cultivation is smoother than that of other reincarnated immortals by who knows how much."
After hearing Lord Cui's explanation, Patriarch Black Turtle was so excited that he immediately wanted to bow and thank Zhou Qing and Lord Cui.
He understood now: these reincarnation decrees gave him and Heming a chance to defy the heavens and change their fates.
But when he raised his head, he found that Zhou Qing and Lord Cui had vanished.
So he solemnly bowed toward the distant sky.
"Black Turtle thanks you both, seniors."
He then took the reincarnation decrees and went to tell Old Immortal Heming the good news.
After arriving beyond the skies of the Seven Wonders World, Zhou Qing did not immediately use Grand Teleportation to leave.
He swept the void around the Seven Wonders World with his Heartforce, seemingly searching for something.
"Great Emperor, what are you..."
Noticing his unusual behavior, Lord Cui looked puzzled.
"My elder brother was stranded in this world, and its inhabitants treated him kindly. I must repay that kindness."
Zhou Qing spoke sincerely.
"The Skyburner Venomwind rages through the void beyond the Seven Wonders World, preventing its inhabitants from traveling beyond its skies. I'll rid them of this great scourge now."
His words were half true and half false.
Compared with what Immortal Duohe had experienced, the inhabitants of the Seven Wonders World had indeed been very friendly to Immortal Wusui.
But that was not the main reason he was willing to help the Seven Wonders World clear away the Skyburner Venomwind.
He was willing to help the Seven Wonders World clear away the Skyburner Venomwind because it had once given him hope during his first simulation.
If he had not obtained the Pure Yang Immortal Mansion from the Seven Wonders World during that first simulation, he would have died in the World Prison long ago.
The Seven Wonders World had given him hope back then, so Zhou Qing was willing to return that hope to all its living beings.
"Your love is boundless, Great Emperor. I admire you."
After hearing Zhou Qing's explanation, Lord Cui was filled with respect.
As Nüwa's artifact spirit, he held people like Zhou Qing, who cared for all living beings as Nüwa did, in high regard.
He promptly cautioned him, "It's just that the Skyburner Venomwind arises out of thin air, leaving no trace to follow. I'm afraid rooting it out will be no easy task, Great Emperor."
"Don't worry, Lord Cui. I once learned about the Skyburner Venomwind by chance, and I know its weakness."
Zhou Qing replied with an unchanged expression.
Someone from the Three Realms would naturally be helpless in this situation.
But he was different. While in the Nine Directions Chaos Kingdom, he had read extensively from the Maha Sect's collection and had happened upon texts concerning the Skyburner Venomwind.
According to the research of the Nine Directions Chaos Kingdom's predecessors, the Skyburner Venomwind did not arise out of thin air. Its sources were wind caves located deep in the void.
Once those wind caves were destroyed, the Skyburner Venomwind would become water without a source, unable to stir up wind and waves again.
Relying on his attainments in the Path of Space, Zhou Qing soon used his Heartforce to locate several wind caves hidden deep in the void.
Sky Rend Claw!
As Zhou Qing struck with his claw, numerous wind caves deep in the void were destroyed in an instant.
The effect of that strike was immediate. The Skyburner Venomwind that had been raging through the void promptly weakened.
And so Zhou Qing began clearing away the Skyburner Venomwind's wind caves bit by bit.
Several months later, after he destroyed another Skyburner Venomwind cave, a token suddenly fell out of it.
What's this?
Seeing the words "Thousand Winds" carved into the token in the common language of Chaos, Zhou Qing immediately realized that he had stumbled upon a fortuitous encounter. Without betraying any reaction, he put the token away.
While the Second Primaltwin of Zhou Qing's Wu Xian avatar went to the Seven Wonders World in search of Wu Sui, his true body was contemplating the Dao before the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
Looking at the six abyssal paths before him, which seemed to contain endless Dao charm, Zhou Qing felt insights into all manner of Daos pouring into his mind.
His progress was especially astonishing in the Path of Space and the Path of Illusion, which he had comprehended more deeply.
At this rate, it would not be long before he touched the threshold of the fourth level of Space Power and the Power of Illusion.
An unknown length of time passed before Zhou Qing suddenly opened his eyes.
He had broken through!
Not in Space Power or the Power of Illusion, however, but in the Grand Dao of Time.
He had finally mastered Time Power.
Looking at the faint Time Power on his fingertip, Zhou Qing's face lit up.
Since his talent had improved, the speed at which he comprehended the Dao was as different from before as the clouds were from the mud.
Over the past few years, while contemplating the Path of Space and the Path of Illusion, he had needed to spare only a little attention to effortlessly comprehend the Grand Dao of Time and master Time Power.
As for why Zhou Qing had divided his attention to contemplate the Path of Time, it was naturally so he could combine time and space and walk the Path of Time and Space.
After all, when choosing between a single Dao and a composite Dao, an ambitious person would surely choose the latter.
Then Zhou Qing fell into thought.
Next, he had to study how to combine the Path of Time and the Path of Space and embark on the Path of Time and Space.