The shadow of a giant axe, capable of splitting heaven and earth, faded before touching the stone pavilion, as if its energy had been drained, dissipating into nothingness.
Fei Zhong had never witnessed such a bizarre event, shocked to the point of nearly losing his soul.
The treasure seal unleashed by Black Corpse Brake somehow turned into a speck of light, falling into Bai Qing’er’s hand.
In her palm, flawless white flames emerged, instantly refining the treasure seal and suppressing its spirit.
Both Fei Zhong and Black Corpse Brake were formidable figures who shook the universe, yet their combined attack was effortlessly neutralised by Bai Qing’er. Yan Huangtu and Yan Zhexian, standing outside the stone pavilion, were utterly stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.
Bai Qing’er glanced at the treasure seal in her hand and said, “Not a bad ancient divine relic, but unfortunately, it hasn’t reached the level of a supreme holy artifact. Its former master wasn’t powerful enough, so its might is limited.”
Fei Zhong and Black Corpse Brake had exhausted their mental power.
Without hesitation, they activated secret techniques, bursting forth with unprecedented speed, fleeing in opposite directions.
Their speed surpassed ten thousand times the speed of sound.
Though Black Corpse Brake feared no death, Bai Qing’er was too powerful. Continuing to attack would be futile, leaving escape as the only option.
“You know my secret and still think you can escape?”
Bai Qing’er stood, walked to the edge of the stone pavilion, and gazed at Black Corpse Brake, now tens of thousands of miles away. Her snow-white, crystalline hand reached out.
Instantly, a massive hand shadow, spanning tens of thousands of miles, appeared in the cosmic space.
Its five fingers, like five radiant pillars, trapped Black Corpse Brake, who had transformed into his black dragon form. The dragon erupted with earth-shaking divine power, disrupting space and heavenly rules, its force shattering cosmic rocks.
Bai Qing’er closed her fingers, and the giant hand shadow grabbed the dragon as if catching a loach.
With a bang, the dragon’s divine body shattered, its scales, bones, head, and claws disintegrating and scattering in a bloody, foul void, with divine light still flickering on the remains.
Yan Huangtu, Yan Zhexian, and Gong Nanfeng held their breath, their hearts seemingly stopped.
Black Corpse Brake, one of the Ten Brakes of the Undead, was so easily crushed by a single claw from afar?
Even a pseudo-god might not achieve such a feat.
Was this really Bai Qing’er?
Was she truly still just a cultivator below the divine realm?
Fei Zhong, who had been fleeing, was horrified to find the stone pavilion, which should have been tens of thousands of miles behind him, now ahead of him.
He stopped, his face bitter, and said, “What is this power? Space? Illusion? A maze?”
Bai Qing’er stood on the steps by the pavilion, her black hair swaying, her beauty picturesque, and said, “Your mental power has been completely absorbed by me, so naturally, you can’t discern what happened. I’ll tell you, it was merely a mental power attack. Your mind and senses were affected, you thought you were fleeing forward, but in reality, you circled back.”
Fei Zhong, a top supreme realm Great Sage, still had a powerful holy soul and senses despite his drained mental power. To be toyed with so effortlessly by Bai Qing’er only proved her methods were too sophisticated, rendering any resistance futile.
Fei Zhong abandoned thoughts of escape or self-destructing his holy source, bowed deeply, and said, “Miss Bai, you are peerless, I, Fei Zhong, am thoroughly convinced.”
“You didn’t address me this way earlier,” Bai Qing’er said.
Fei Zhong’s expression shifted repeatedly, but he steeled himself and said, “I was foolish and didn’t understand what you meant.”
“Though you were tricked by Zhang Ruochen and the others into destroying your own puppet clone, you’re still clever, at least knowing when to yield. So, don’t play dumb before me,” Bai Qing’er said.
Fei Zhong was drenched in sweat, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
“No need to be so frightened. Your strength is considerable, you have value, so I won’t kill you,” Bai Qing’er said.
Fei Zhong exhaled slightly, bowing even lower, and said, “Earlier, the two words I used when speaking of Yan Yu, no, Zhang Ruochen, were not referring to you, Miss Bai.”
Those two words were, naturally, “vile woman.”
Bai Qing’er said, “I give you two choices. First, cut out your tongue, kneel, and pledge yourself to me as your master.”
“Second, die.”
Fei Zhong trembled, his mind wrestling with the decision. Finally, his gaze hardened, holy light glowing in his palm as he activated his battle axe.
Bai Qing’er’s voice sounded again, “Everyone starts weak, facing humiliation at times. Why choose death? Why not endure and survive, seeking revenge later? Believe in your inner strength, unyielding even if you submit to me. If you die now, you lose everything, no future remains.”
Each of Bai Qing’er’s words, like a demonic chant, forcibly poured into Fei Zhong’s ears.
Gradually, the holy light in Fei Zhong’s palm faded, his eyes closed, and though he remained standing, he swayed, slipping into a slumber or dream.
Bai Qing’er nodded, satisfied, then suddenly sensed something, her gaze turning curiously to Zhang Ruochen, slumped over the stone table.
Zhang Ruochen’s body radiated star-like brilliance, he raised his head, his eyes clear again. Each eyeball seemed to contain a sea of stars.
Bai Qing’er, carrying a fragrant breeze, approached and said, “I didn’t expect your mastery of the Path of Truth could break through my Seven Souls Fearful Dream. It seems crossing the tenth layer of the Sea of Truth granted you more than just the Mysteries of Truth.”
“You’re too suspicious. Who says only the Path of Truth can break dreams? My heart has been tempered countless times, a mere dream may affect someone like Yun Huan Iron-Blood King or Cang Baizi, but not me,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qing’er said, “Is that so? Shall we try again?”
Zhang Ruochen avoided her gaze, refusing to meet her eyes, and said, “Fine, I admit your Seven Souls Fearful Dream is formidable. If you hadn’t been distracted killing Black Corpse Brake and dealing with Fei Zhong, my current mental strength might not have broken through.”
Bai Qing’er stared at him and said, “You’re hiding something.”
“I’m not hiding anything,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qing’er said, “You can’t fool me.”
“Fine, I’ll tell you. I do have the Mysteries of Truth, and quite a bit. If you want them, just kill me and take them,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qing’er said, “You think I won’t kill you?”
“I think even the Mysteries of Truth can’t sway you. You’re proud, you love challenging the impossible, seeking ultimate thrills. Taming a once-in-a-millennium genius is far more exciting than easily obtained Mysteries of Truth. You’ve captured me twice, one more time, and I lose to you. Don’t you want to try?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qing’er said, “You think you understand me, that’s arrogance.”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze sharpened, steadfastly guarding his heart.
Bai Qing’er continued, “When the strong speak to the weak, no matter how outrageous, it’s confidence. When the weak speak to the strong, even if correct, it’s arrogance.”
“Your words weren’t wrong, but you shouldn’t have said them.”
“Now, I must change my mind. Killing you could bring me plenty of benefits. Why bet on an uncertain future?”
In an instant, killing intent radiated from Bai Qing’er.
The killing intent turned into a blood mist, forming blood swords that flew towards Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen roared, “You won’t kill me.”
The blood swords stopped before him, the closest one’s tip touching his forehead.
The three outside the pavilion couldn’t hear their conversation but felt Bai Qing’er’s sudden, overwhelming killing intent.
That intent pierced their hearts and souls, chilling them, convinced Zhang Ruochen was doomed.
Yet, the blood swords halted, leaving them utterly perplexed.
The killing intent was unmistakable.
What was wrong with Bai Qing’er?
“You guessed it, that’s no fun.”
Bai Qing’er waved her sleeve, and the blood swords dissipated.
Zhang Ruochen regained his composure and smiled, “Not hard to guess. Your goal was always the Origin Temple, not me or the Mysteries of Truth. Until you find Seven Hands Elder and obtain the supreme Origin Divine Crystal, you won’t kill me.”
“You feigned intent to kill me just to break my mental defences. Once broken, you could easily control me with your dream, like Fei Zhong now.”
“Fei Zhong isn’t a coward, his will is strong. A few words wouldn’t subdue him, so you used the dream’s power in the end.”
Bai Qing’er, tall and slender, sat opposite Zhang Ruochen on a stone bench, glancing at the slumbering Fei Zhong, and said, “A supreme realm Great Sage won’t submit to me, but I had to try, just in case. I’m not discouraged that you held your mental defences, in fact, I’m pleased. Below the divine realm, challenges are rare for me. Without a heart for challenges, one becomes mediocre.”
“Then why not break through to the divine realm? Challenge the gods?” Zhang Ruochen asked, pouring tea for her and himself from the teapot.
Bai Qing’er said, “Do you know how strong Blood Absolute War God and Huang Tian were in the supreme realm?”
Zhang Ruochen nodded, then shook his head.
He had read many books, seen tales of Blood Absolute War God and Huang Tian’s exploits in their Great Sage days, but mere records couldn’t reveal their true profundity without witnessing them.
Bai Qing’er said, “They lived in a rare chaotic era, the most brutal, chaotic, and genius-filled time in history. Rising in such an era was no small feat, reaching heights later generations struggle to surpass.”
Throughout the history of the eternal heavens, geniuses often emerge in clusters during certain periods, usually chaotic ones.
As the saying goes, the times make the hero.
Zhang Ruochen said, “You want to surpass the heights of Blood Absolute War God and Huang Tian but find yourself far behind, so you pin your hopes on the Origin Temple.”
“You’re half right,” Bai Qing’er said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “And the other half?”
“Guess. If you’re right, I’ll spare your life today. I suspect you have a supreme Origin Divine Crystal. Killing you would let me take it,” Bai Qing’er said.
Zhang Ruochen hesitated for a moment.
In that moment, a smile appeared on Bai Qing’er’s face.
She knew she’d guessed correctly, Zhang Ruochen indeed had a supreme Origin Divine Crystal.
Zhang Ruochen realised his mistake in hesitating, but regret was futile.
Bai Qing’er grabbed his wrist, her fingers delicate as jade, yet his semi-divine body couldn’t resist. He watched helplessly as she took the spatial ring from his finger.
From the ring, Bai Qing’er found the sole supreme Origin Divine Crystal, held it in her hand, and tossed the ring onto the stone table, seemingly uninterested in the supreme holy artifacts within.
She said, “Now, you’ve lost your only leverage. To survive, guess well. Guess wrong, and you’ll die.”
Time ticked by.
Bai Qing’er, far from normal, acted beyond ordinary comprehension.
Guessing her thoughts was no easy task.
“Time’s up. My time is precious, I can’t waste it on you. Looks like you’re doomed.”
Bai Qing’er showed no killing intent, calm, but as she extended her finger, Zhang Ruochen no longer doubted her intent to kill.
“Chaos,” Zhang Ruochen blurted out.
Bai Qing’er’s finger paused, she studied him for a moment, a strange light in her eyes, and smiled, “Go on.”
Zhang Ruochen exhaled deeply and said, “You said Blood Absolute War God and Huang Tian reached such heights because the chaos of the last millennium shaped them.”
“In chaos, they had no stable cultivation environment, facing threats from peers, gods, and armies, at risk of death at any moment.”
“Surrounded by countless geniuses, they fought and killed daily, gaining endless tempering, constantly improving.”
“But you lack this.”
“You’ve always hidden, concealing your power. How could you surpass them like this?”
“I guess, without chaos, you want to create one. A chaos drawing out countless holy realm experts, even gods.”
“Was the supreme Origin Divine Crystal’s emergence your doing?”
Bai Qing’er sipped the tea Zhang Ruochen poured, smiling, “Otherwise, do you think Goddess Twelve House couldn’t identify a supreme Origin Divine Crystal, letting it casually circulate to the gambling city? Seen by over a dozen top Hell Realm forces, precisely when Jade Emperor Realm opened?”
Zhang Ruochen said, “And Seven Hands Elder? Your ally?”
“Not quite. That old fox is craftier than I imagined, nearly costing me control of the situation,” Bai Qing’er said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “So, you don’t know much about Seven Hands Elder. The gambling match was to test him? Why kill him?”
“If I wanted him dead, he’d be long gone. My goal is to capture him, make him lead me to the Origin Temple,” Bai Qing’er said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “So, after he escaped, you settled for stealing the five supreme Origin Divine Crystals meant for Hell Realm’s major forces, only to find they’d been swapped. Thus, you must find Seven Hands Elder or the crystals, or you’ll lose control.”
“I get it. The Origin Temple is your bait to create a small chaos, drawing out major forces’ powerhouses to temper yourself.”
“And this must happen after Jade Emperor Realm opens, or the temple’s emergence would alert countless gods.”
Bai Qing’er said, “You got one thing wrong. I never planned to share the five supreme Origin Divine Crystals with Hell Realm’s forces. Even without them, they’d chase to where I want them. Look at Ice King Star’s chaos now.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “At Machine-Sealed Holy Mansion, you let us escape on purpose?”
Bai Qing’er shook her head, “I just didn’t want to expose myself.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “I have two more questions. First, why send the five supreme Origin Divine Crystals to the Temple of Destiny? To draw the temple into your game?”
“Not just the Temple of Destiny, but all of Hell Realm, maybe even some Heavenly Court forces.”
Bai Qing’er smiled, “Seventeen major forces chased from the Temple of Destiny to Ice King Star, causing such a stir. Do you think Hell Realm’s forces and the Heavenly Court’s myriad realms can sit still?”
“Are you mad? If this backfires, not only will you die, but Goddess Twelve House will be annihilated,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Bai Qing’er was unperturbed and said, “Your second question?”
Zhang Ruochen calmed his shock and said, “You’ve caused such a commotion, yet no one has divined you. How did you do it? Who’s shielding you from fate?”
“I can’t answer that,” Bai Qing’er said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Ice Emperor?”
Bai Qing’er glanced towards Ice King Star and said, “You’d better not slander him, we’re still close to Ice Emperor Star. You guessed half my thoughts, showing your heart is as mad as mine.”
“Zhang Ruochen, it’s a pity you’re too young to be my match, or I wouldn’t need to take such risks. Your fiancée is impressive, inheriting great legacies from Kunlun Realm, but she rushed to divinity too soon. Otherwise, I’d have visited Kunlun Realm to kill her. Now, I’ll have to wait until after I reach divinity to use her as practice. Will you thank me?”
Zhang Ruochen gave a cold laugh.
Bai Qing’er stood and said, “Let’s go.”
“Where?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“Aoyun Asteroid Belt, no, the Origin Temple.”
Bai Qing’er smiled at him and said, “Come with me, I’ll show you what slaughter is. After years of biding my time, I need endless battles and pressure to fuse all I’ve learned. By fighting my way to the Origin Temple, I might transcend, reaching the realm I seek.”
