Chapter 1197: Naughty Little Brother, You're So Bad

Chapter 1197: Little Brother, You Are Truly Wicked

Time drifted by in this quiet fashion.

Within the Nine Shores Heaven, measured by cosmic time, a single month elapsed.

This month was relative to the macro-universes spanning the entirety of the Nine Shores Heaven, rather than specific star domains, stellar whirlpools, or individual galaxies.

In truth, given the sheer vastness of the Nine Shores Heaven, the flow of time across its countless constituent universes naturally varied, recorded differently according to the civilizations of diverse races.

Yet this mattered little.

For any race existing within the Nine Shores Heaven, their methods of recording time were always multifaceted and parallel.

Beyond the local time of their home celestial body, there were records based on the rotation of their galaxy.

Some larger races added the rotations of stellar whirlpools, star domains, or even cosmic time itself.

Thus, the single month Xu Qing spent upon the Ink Soil might well have been decades, or perhaps even centuries, to the many alien races living among stars as numerous as grains of sand.

The longer and more drawn out the passage of time, the smaller the home galaxy usually was, reflecting a fragmentation of laws and principles, as well as a scarcity of absorbable energy such as immortal qi.

Concurrently, the countless sentient beings living within these slow currents of time bore inherent deficiencies of their own—be it in soul, lineage, or karmic ties.

This ensured that even if centuries passed for them, their absolute growth remained incomparably sluggish.

In a sense, this was a form of equality and balance.

For Xu Qing, who sat cross-legged upon the Ink Soil and had chosen to fish just as Kun Wu did, this perception was remarkably vivid.

During this month, through the Time Charter, his understanding of the universe's inner workings deepened significantly.

He had also attempted to delve into the black hole, yet he could descend less than a hundred feet before the terrifying repulsive force within compelled him to halt.

Thereafter, he did not abandon the place; instead, he sat cross-legged at the rim of the void, fishing on one hand while analyzing on the other.

Granted, his divine sense could not penetrate deeply, and the source substances here seemed exceedingly difficult to erupt, leaving Xu Qing with the nagging sensation of sitting atop a treasure mountain that remained tantalizingly out of reach.

Nevertheless, it had to be said that cultivating in this domain allowed him to feel his immortal embryo growing with noticeably greater celerity than it would elsewhere.

"Even if the source substances find it difficult to surge forth from the Ink Soil, the stray, drifting wisps of aura are still effective."

"Moreover... Kun Wu's method of angling should possess some reference value."

Xu Qing murmured softly, lowering his gaze to the fishing rod cradled in his hands.

Throughout this month, he had emulated Kun Wu’s angling. Though he had yet to draw any source substances from the depths, Xu Qing felt this endeavor was far from futile.

"Perhaps the time spent is still insufficient; fishing demands patience..."

Lost in thought, his gaze drifted from the rod to settle upon the black hole stretching before him.

"For the Moyang Universe to be designated as a strategic resource by that elder from the Immortal Palace, it must possess some exceedingly rare attribute..."

Originally, Xu Qing assumed the uniqueness of the Moyang Universe lay solely in its containment of source substances.

Yet during his clash with Kun Wu a month prior, Xu Qing had discerned certain clues from the man's words and reactions.

First, the opponent had remarked that this universe once enjoyed great glory, only to decline into the mundane.

Second, he seemed somewhat hazy regarding the rankings of the current generation.

He did not know the exact placements.

While the latter could be explained by Kun Wu’s total immersion in cultivation and his lack of outside information, it became improbable when paired with the premise that Kun Wu himself was a former Ascendant. There was no way he could be ignorant of the fact that the champion of each generation was rewarded with a strategic resource universe.

Therefore, through these coupled conditions, Xu Qing arrived at an answer.

Kun Wu did not believe this Moyang Universe possessed strategic resources; even knowing it contained source substances, his opinion remained unchanged.

Consequently, it had never crossed his mind that the one who could claim this universe would be the first place champion among this generation's Ascendants!

"He does not truly understand this universe."

"In that case, what exactly is the secret of the Moyang Universe?"

Staring into the dark abyss of the Ink Soil, a faint conjecture formed within Xu Qing's heart.

"Perhaps the answer lies within this black hole!"

"Aside from the source substances, there might be other treasures inside this void capable of surprising me..."

"Regrettably, I can currently descend only a hundred feet. Unless another Quasi-Immortal stands beside me, cooperating in tandem, we might possess the capability to explore further."

Xu Qing pondered while he fished, simultaneously organizing the path of his future.

"First, the short-term goal: one year from now, I must journey to the Receiving Universe to claim my official post within the Nine Shores Heaven."

"As for the long-term goal, I require a vast quantity of source substances to sculpt my immortal embryo and step into the realm of the Quasi-Immortal. Furthermore, even after becoming a Quasi-Immortal, source substances will be necessary to bring the embryo to rapid completion, allowing me to comprehend the Tenth Extreme and achieve Immortality!"

"Ultimately, I shall return to Wangu!"

"Only twenty years remain... I wonder if there will be enough time."

Xu Qing lifted his head, gazing into the far distance.

"Unwittingly, I have already spent nearly a decade here in the Fifth Star Ring."

Wangu lay far too distant from this place. Xu Qing could not pinpoint its exact location; he could only vaguely judge the general direction through a profound, ethereal resonance.

"No matter what, once the time arrives, I must return. If I can achieve Immortality, that would naturally be ideal. If not... I can resort to external forces!"

Xu Qing mused silently.

"Therefore, my Star Tower also requires restoration, which aligns perfectly with the reward opportunity I obtained this time."

With this thought, Xu Qing mapped out a plan in his mind, before his reflections drifted back once more to the source substances.

The source substances would dictate the ultimate height of his future cultivation.

"In truth, there is another method to acquire source substances..."

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, a glimmer of profound, shadowy light flashing within them.

"And that is the gods... The gods themselves are the dominant entities of the Upper Star Rings, lifeforms born directly from source substances. Their very process of growth consists of absorbing source substances."

"Moreover, as native lifeforms of the Upper Rings, they are far more suited and find it much easier to absorb source substances than cultivators."

"Their bodies naturally contain source substances!"

"Thus, devouring gods is also a path, though it is impure. On one hand, it requires devouring far greater quantities and carries immense peril; on the other hand, one risks being influenced by them."

"Yet, it is also the swiftest path."

"Especially since I possess a divine clone, such influence... to me, is not entirely unresolvable."

Xu Qing contemplated, his mind conjuring images of the Divine Prison he had encountered upon his initial arrival in the Fifth Star Ring.

"The gods within the prison are continuously drained and converted via formations, causing them to diffuse spiritual qi. This is a method of utilization designed to elevate the concentration of spiritual qi, facilitating the cultivation of low-tier cultivators."

"And the more cultivators there are, the more spiritual qi they themselves emit, gradually forming a virtuous cycle."

"When this spiritual qi reaches a certain density, it transforms into immortal qi. Presumably, this is the very purpose and value of the alien races' existence within the universe."

"Relying upon countless alien races to nourish the path of the cultivator."

"Concurrently, the more lives that tread upon this path of cultivation, the more majestic and boundless the path itself becomes."

Xu Qing recalled all he had seen and heard, his heart suddenly illuminated with understanding.

“The divine prisons in the Four Great Star Domains only hold low-tier deities. Therefore, higher-tier gods… must surely have their own prisons. And the most likely method of exploiting them would be to extract their Source Essence.”

“This path—I should find an opportunity to test it.”

“But for now, what matters most before me is still this Ink Earth!”

Xu Qing lowered his head, his gaze once again falling upon the black hole ahead.

“The Source Essence contained here…”

Hesitation flickered in his eyes. A thought stirred within him, growing stronger until he slowly closed his eyes.

After a long while, when he opened them again, resolve gleamed in their depths. He raised his left hand and swept it through the air—immediately, a jade-green bowl shot forth.

Inside the bowl lay a lump of mud, no larger than a fist.

It was crimson red.

This very item was one of the treasures bestowed upon Xu Qing by Xie Lingzi—the Divine Mud!

One of the many methods Fifth Star Ring cultivators used to control deities: shaping the mud into the likeness of a god, thereby gaining dominion over it.

Staring at the mud, Xu Qing reached out with his hand. Instantly, the blood-red clay leapt from the bowl and hovered before him. As his divine will seeped into it, its form began to shift—

Slowly, it took on the shape of a fox!

Having finished, Xu Qing suddenly spoke.

“Still not coming out?”

His voice echoed through the void—and in response, a sweet, petulant voice rang out from all around.

“Hmph! You ungrateful wretch! Back then you called me ‘Supreme Deity’—now you won’t even give me a proper title!”

“No title is bad enough, but you won’t even share your Yuan Yang with me! And now you want to control me with this thing? After everything I’ve done for you? Hmph!”

“I’m not coming out.”

Xu Qing’s expression remained unchanged. With a flick of his sleeve, a pill bottle flew forth—inside it floated a single drop of blood!

The moment it appeared, the starry sky roared; thunder rumbled through the void, shaking reality itself.

Space twisted instantly, blurring into indistinct chaos.

This was none other than that drop of Sovereign Blood—its divine authority closely aligned with the mud fox!

The mud fox’s breathing grew rapid.

And then Xu Qing’s voice came again, calm yet firm.

“In this Fifth Star Ring, deities are forbidden to tread. While you were merely at the Divine Flame stage, it was manageable—but if you absorb this blood and ascend to the Divine Altar realm… I cannot be certain you won’t draw unwanted attention. There might even be immediate interference the very moment you break through.”

“Even though you’ve gained status and foundation within Aurora Immortal Palace, I’m unsure how fully that identity will shield you.”

“That’s why I shaped this Divine Mud into your form. It may seem like control—but in truth, it’s merely a cover story, should anything go wrong.”

“This way, your ascension can proceed with minimal risk.”

“Bear with it a little longer.”

Xu Qing spoke evenly.

The mud fox was clearly tempted—but still let out a huff.

“Call me ‘older sister,’ and I’ll listen to you.”

Xu Qing fell silent. He thought of the mud fox’s constant companionship, her aid within Aurora Immortal Palace… After a long pause, he sighed.

“Older sister.”

At those two words, the mud fox visibly thrilled, letting out a coquettish, melodic laugh.

Then her form materialized—a cascade of starlight swirling toward the mud fox he’d shaped, vanishing into it in an instant.

Just moments before, the clay figure had been lifeless—but now, in the blink of an eye, color flooded its surface. Life surged through it, transforming it into a breathtakingly alluring woman.

She stepped toward Xu Qing.

Her ample bosom swayed with each step like rolling waves; her waist curved like a gourd—impossibly slender—while her hips flared behind her in a silhouette so provocative it made any onlooker instinctively catch their breath, heart pounding.

Perfection incarnate.

Her luminous skin, her exquisitely contoured figure—every movement radiated an irresistible allure, as if she could take root in a man’s soul and blossom there forever.

Now standing close to Xu Qing, she purred in a voice both languid and seductive:

“You naughty little brother… When you molded my body, why didn’t you bother giving me clothes?”