Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Imperial Sun Carriage

“The giant and the dragon carriage?” Xu Qing’s expression turned thoughtful. Indeed, he had reported the matter at the Sea Records Pavilion after returning from the sea.

After that, he left the sect and went to the Red Plains. Now that he was back, it was both reasonable and unreasonable for him to be asked about this matter.

The reasonable part was the timing, and the unreasonable part was the fact that he was being summoned to be questioned in person.

Xu Qing could already judge that the matter of the giant and the dragon carriage were probably extremely important; otherwise, it wouldn’t have attracted Elder Zhao’s personal attention.

Once he thought to this point, Xu Qing understood that he absolutely couldn’t refuse.

Thus, he nodded and put away his magic boat without a sound. As he looked up at Deacon Li, the other party revealed a smirk and spoke.

“We can’t let the elder wait for too long. I also rose up from the foot of the mountain, so I won’t believe it if you say that you don’t have any flight talismans at your cultivation level.”

“So, shall I carry you, or will you come by yourself?”

Xu Qing nodded his head and stuck a flight talisman to his leg, stepping straight into the air.

Deacon Li smiled. His body immediately turned into an arc of light that shot straight toward the Seventh Peak.

Behind him, Xu Qing followed at full speed.

As they got closer and closer to the Seventh Peak, waves of emotion rose up in Xu Qing’s heart. This was only his second time coming here.

The first time was all the way back when he first entered the sect.

He still remembered the words of the round-faced cultivator who had taken his group up back then – “This may be the only time you go up the mountain.”

Now, he knew that these words weren’t wrong. After all, not everyone was able to touch Foundation Establishment. Even Xu Qing had to struggle to obtain resources for establishing his foundation.

In his heart, Xu Qing was still full of vigilance. He didn’t fully trust Deacon Li’s words, but right now, he had no other choice but to follow.

Just like that, the Seventh Peak gradually became clearer in Xu Qing’s eyes. Most of the mountain was covered by green vegetation, and a winding mountain path could be seen going from the foot of the mountain to the peak.

This mountain path branched off in many places, connecting to palace-like buildings. At the same time, there were many locations on the mountain that held open clearings or cave abodes.

The pair quickly flew up the mountain, passing by many buildings and also flying beyond the place where Xu Qing had obtained his Daoist robe and magic boat. Finally, when they were near the peak, a magnificent palace appeared in Xu Qing’s eyes.

Compared to the other buildings along the path, this palace was clearly far more majestic. The entire building was constructed out of blue and white spirit tiles, and the railings were all carved from jade. There were statues of fantastic beasts protruding from every corner that looked like they were about to come to life.

Two giant human-shaped stone statues stood in front of the palace, emitting waves of heavy pressure.

The doors to the palace hall were open, but for some reason, it was impossible to see inside.

Deacon Li and Xu Qing descended to the ground.

As soon as he touched down, an intense sense of crisis filled Xu Qing’s body. He felt the fluctuations of an invisible array formation all around him that seemed as if they could instantly extinguish his life. However, those fluctuations were nothing compared to the deep, instinctive terror that he felt from the inside of the palace hall.

It was as if a terrifying beast was hidden within the hall, releasing a soul-shocking aura that thundered in all directions.

Deacon Li’s expression was extremely respectful as he bowed his head and spoke.

“Elder, Xu Qing is here.”

“Come in.” A hoarse and elderly voice came from within the hall.

When this voice landed in Xu Qing’s ears, it seemed to turn into a clap of thunder, causing his breathing to hasten. An enormous weight seemed to be pressing down on him.

Xu Qing barely managed to steady himself as he bowed his head. Lifting his feet with great difficulty, he walked forward step by step.

Every step he took caused beads of sweat to appear on his forehead. The astonishing pressure coming from the hall set off rumbles in Xu Qing’s mind that only grew stronger as he drew nearer. His whole body was trembling violently, to the point that it was even difficult to walk.

However, the existence within the hall didn’t seem to have any malice and only released this pressure instinctively. Thus, although sweat poured from Xu Qing’s forehead, he still managed to walk in thanks to his robust body and deep cultivation.

As soon as he stepped through the doorway, he finally knew why nothing could be seen from outside. That was because… within the hall, everything was distorted and blurred.

Be it the seats or the stone pillars lining the hall, or even the walls themselves, everything in Xu Qing’s vision was constantly twisting and shaking. The source of this distortion was none other than the figure of an old man seated on a throne at the end of the hall.

His face couldn’t be seen clearly, only his white hair and deep purple Daoist robe.

Invisible fluctuations seemed to emanate from his body, bending the light and causing everything to distort wildly.

“I greet the elder.” Xu Qing endured the vertigo caused by the twisted hall and bowed his head with cupped fists.

“Tell me in detail about the dragon carriage that you saw.” An aged voice fell into Xu Qing’s ears, sinking into his mind and echoing over and over.

Xu Qing inhaled deeply. He didn’t have anything to hide about this chance encounter, and he’d already sent a report anyway. Thus, he didn’t hesitate to recount the entire event to the elder.

Elder Zhao didn’t interrupt him, only listening quietly.

Finally, when Xu Qing finished speaking, a dead silence descended on the hall.

Xu Qing silently endured the great pressure that he felt from this silence.

A while later, Elder Zhao’s utterly emotionless voice rang out.

“You missed an opportunity.”

Xu Qing was silent.

"But you also saved your own life."

After hesitating for a moment, Xu Qing forcibly endured the pressure and vertigo to cup his fists and ask a question.

“Elder, if I may ask, that dragon carriage is…?”

The hall was silent for a long time before that aged voice rang out once more.

“Since you’ve seen it with your own eyes, it won’t hurt to tell you.”

“That was… the imperial carriage of the sun!”

Xu Qing’s heart shook.

“On the inner wall of the bronze dragon carriage, there is an ultimate art called Golden Crow Refines Myriad Spirits. This ultimate art is one of the few sovereign-level techniques recorded in history.”

“Very few people are able to encounter the sun carriage, and even fewer have the opportunity to see this ultimate art. And those who can actually learn the ultimate art after seeing it are even rarer.” A trace of emotion seemed to bleed into the aged voice.

“Ultimate art?” The scene of the dragon carriage being pulled by the giant reappeared in Xu Qing’s mind.

“That’s why I said you missed an opportunity. You weren’t fated with it, so it can’t be helped.”

“Throughout the ages, I’ve only heard of the master of the Seven Sects Alliance above our Seven Blood Pupils obtaining this opportunity. In his younger years, he lived in the dragon carriage for a while and was able to comprehend a bit.”

“After that, the dragon carriage sank to the bottom of the sea. It’s been a hundred years since then. Its reappearance is clearly to seek out a destined inheritor. Once another person comprehends the ultimate art, the dragon carriage will sink back to the bottom of the sea and re-enter its slumber.”

Great waves rose up in Xu Qing’s heart. These matters were likely secrets that a mountain-foot disciple like him wasn’t qualified to know at all.

“The reason I’m telling you all this is because this matter can’t be recorded in the Sea Records Pavilion. It’s also hard to price it by spirit stones, so let this be your compensation.”

“I see that your cultivation is almost at a breakthrough. The Seventh Peak’s great competition will begin soon. Do your best.”

With that, a powerful force swept over from all directions, and Xu Qing’s body retreated uncontrollably. Soon, he was sent back out of the hall, and everything inside once again became obscured.

Looking into the depths of that dark hall, Xu Qing cupped his fists and bowed deeply.

His whole body was covered in sweat. Just that short period of time inside the hall had put him under immense pressure. That pressure originated from Elder Zhao, who was much more terrifying than any creature he had ever seen in a forbidden area.

Deacon Li was still waiting outside the hall. When he saw Xu Qing come out, his face broke into a smile.

“Xu Qing, I’ll see you off.”

As he spoke, his body rose up into the air.

Xu Qing inhaled deeply and followed. As the mountain wind blew, his sweat dried quickly, but the terrifying experience of Elder Zhao’s might couldn’t be blown away so easily.

“Elder Zhao isn’t just an ordinary elder.” Deacon Li glanced back at Xu Qing and spoke slowly.

“Among the 13 elders of the Seventh Peak, Elder Zhao ranks third.”

“I’ve heard Zhongheng talk about you. That kid, Zhongheng… the elder has said that although he’s stupid, he isn’t a bad person.” When they landed back at the foot of the Seventh Peak, Deacon Li spoke meaningfully before turning to leave.

Xu Qing stared at the departing figure of the deacon. He remained silent for a moment before walking back into the main city.

He knew that Deacon Li was warning him not to try and kill Zhao Zhongheng over some minor conflicts.

For now, Xu Qing put such thoughts out of his mind.

“Zhao Zhongheng has a good grandfather.”

“And… the great competition is starting soon.” Xu Qing walked silently through the streets of the city, gradually calming himself down. He thought of the array crossbow that he’d gotten from the Vajra Sect ancestor, so he turned and walked toward the Transportation Department.

He would improve his magic boat a little more before the great competition started.

It was already noon, and crowds of pedestrians filled the streets, rushing here and there with no regard for each other. Xu Qing passed a fruit stand and noticed that they were selling impressively large apples.

After buying all the apples, Xu Qing put them away and walked into the port area.

On the way over to the Transportation Department, when Xu Qing passed an alley, he seemed to notice something. He abruptly turned his head and looked over at the alley with an icy-cold gaze.

As soon as he looked over, the figure of a youth appeared in the shadows at the alley entrance.

This youth was wearing a bulging gray Daoist robe with a dog hide coat, and his face was covered in dirt. He was that mute youth from the Homicide Department.

He seemed to have been waiting there for a long time. When he noticed Xu Qing, he immediately ran over, dragging a corpse behind him. After carefully laying it down in front of Xu Qing, the little mute managed to force a flattering expression onto his stiff face. Then he quickly ran away without looking back.

Xu Qing frowned and looked down at the corpse in front of him.

This was the corpse of a wanted criminal, and it was covered in tooth marks. Aside from the head, which was still intact, the rest of the body was bloody and mangled, as if it had been bitten to death by a wild beast.

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