541: crisis

Xu Qing stood on the Xu River battlefield, the Dao rhyme around him not yet fully settled, the fierce might of having consecutively slain four Fourth Step Dao Ancestors still lingering.

He did not linger, preparing to leave, but as he was about to depart from this place of trouble, an abrupt change occurred!

A terrifying pressure, far exceeding that of a Fourth Step Dao Ancestor, and even beyond description, suddenly descended!

This pressure did not come from a specific direction; rather, the entire vast Xu River spacetime seemed to have been cast into an invisible temporal void, instantly frozen.

Here, it was as if the long river of time had ceased to flow, forming a static forbidden zone.

Xu Qing's proud Spacetime Dao now felt like a fish trapped in quicksand, unable to escape. Even the System's power seemed to be delayed by countless times, losing connection at this moment.

A sense of dread, originating from the primal instinct of Life, surged into Xu Qing's heart with unprecedented clarity for the first time.

He abruptly looked up, only to see a colossal hand slowly reaching out from above the Void Realm, covered in countless black crystal scales and wreathed in blood-colored Dao flames capable of incinerating a grand Universe.

This colossal hand was not corporeal but condensed from pure Destruction Dao. Its appearance directly rewrote the rules of this area, making the very concept of 'escape' blurry and indistinct.

The colossal hand's target was unequivocally clear, carrying an air of absolute indifference, as it reached out to seize Xu Qing. Wherever it passed, even the confined spacetime was reduced to nothingness.

The System cannot be used!

Xu Qing's heart was filled with terror.

In the face of Life and death, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Xu Qing. He could no longer care for anything else, using all his Divine Thought to unleash a resonating Dao sound, sending out an earth-shattering cry towards the Human Territory.

"Earth Ancestor Senior, save me!"

This cry seemed to touch upon some hidden existence.

Almost the instant Xu Qing's voice fell, a warm, vast golden light, ignoring the terrifying spacetime confinement, illuminated from the First Main City, a distance so immeasurable it defied calculation.

Initially like a tiny bean, it instantly transformed into a brilliant golden bridge spanning the Chaos Sea!

Immediately following, a golden palm, in no way inferior to the Black Crystal Blood Flame colossal hand, arrived with a mighty roar, traversing endless spacetime along the golden bridge.

On this golden palm, the lines were like mountains and earth veins, containing the immense power of profound virtue, nurturing all spirits, forming a stark contrast with the Black Crystal Blood Flame colossal hand, which was filled with destruction and plunder.

There was no sound, because at the center of their collision, even the propagation of sound was temporarily annihilated.

Only extreme light and extreme darkness were wildly intertwining, devouring, and annihilating!

The confined spacetime, under the clash of these two supreme powers, was torn apart with cracks like a fragile mirror!

A chaotic energy storm swept out, completely transforming the already ravaged battlefield into a void where even Chaos Qi no longer existed.

And just as the spacetime confinement was broken, Xu Qing did not hesitate in the slightest, not even having time to witness the outcome of that world-shattering duel.

He immediately fully activated the System!

"Teleport!"

A spatial fluctuation flashed and vanished, and Xu Qing's figure instantly disappeared from that storm of destruction... In the Xuanhuang Great World, within the Xu Family's ancestral land, atop the main peak.

The World Ancient Plum still stood silently, and the perennial plum fragrance remained as always.

The next moment, Xu Qing's figure appeared somewhat unsteadily beneath the Ancient Plum tree, his face slightly pale, and his entire aura extremely chaotic.

He subconsciously looked back, and although he could no longer see the Xu River battlefield, a trace of lingering fear remained on his face.

"I was careless. That unknown existence, capable of contending with Earth Sovereign Senior, must be on the same level! And judging by his methods, he should be the supreme existence of the Black Crystal Blood Flame Clan."

He muttered to himself, his palms covered in cold sweat.

This time, he truly felt the gap between himself and such an existence, a sense of powerlessness he did not wish to experience again.

Today, if not for that cry which drew Earth Sovereign's aid from afar, if not for the System recovering its function the instant the spacetime confinement broke... then he would truly have been finished.

He had also not expected that the System, which he had always relied upon, could also be temporarily shielded by higher-level powers!

This time, relying on the System and his own strength, he had indeed been a bit too arrogant, almost stepping into an abyss of eternal damnation.

Taking a deep breath, the crisp fragrance of the World Ancient Plum lingering at his nose, and feeling the familiar aura fluctuations of the Xuanhuang Great World, Xu Qing's violently pounding heart slowly calmed down.

He sat cross-legged beneath the plum tree, his eyes flickering. This encounter had sounded a warning bell for him, and also given him a deeper understanding and desire for the path ahead.

After a long while, Xu Qing's turbulent emotions finally settled down.

He rose, took a step, and his figure had already crossed endless star rivers, arriving at the First Main City.

Outside the Earth Ancestor Palace, the guarding generals seemed to have already received instructions and did not obstruct him, merely bowing respectfully.

Xu Qing nodded slightly, stepping into this hall for the second time.

Inside the palace, Earth Sovereign stood beneath the starry sky, his figure ordinary, yet seemingly the anchor of the entire Universe.

Xu Qing stepped forward, bowing respectfully and solemnly, "Junior Xu Qing greets Earth Ancestor!"

Earth Sovereign turned around, his gaze falling upon Xu Qing. A barely perceptible hint of approval flickered in his eyes, which had witnessed the vicissitudes of countless eons.

"You, young man, have given this old one no small surprise." His voice was gentle, "Without a sound, you've reached this step in just a few thousand years. No wonder that old fellow Hei Yan disregarded his status and personally made a move against you."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing knew that the previous danger by the Xu River had certainly not escaped the perception of this existence.

He smiled humbly, "If not for Earth Ancestor's timely intervention, Junior would likely have been doomed today."

"Now you know there are always people better than you, and heavens beyond heavens?" Earth Sovereign's tone carried a hint of teasing.

"I know." Xu Qing's expression became serious, still feeling lingering fear, "In the future, until my strength is sufficient, I will never again be so reckless as to venture into such dangerous places."

"Hahaha!" Earth Sovereign laughed heartily, "It's good that you understand. From what I know of Hei Yan, since he has set his sights on you, he will certainly not give up easily."

"If your aura appears in the lower reaches of the Xu River again, he will surely descend at the first opportunity. You should avoid that area for now."

"Junior accepts the command." Xu Qing clasped his fists solemnly.

"Mm." Earth Sovereign nodded slightly, then changed the subject, his tone gaining a hint of profound meaning, "Your Dao path is unique and extraordinary. The road ahead is long, and you need to explore it yourself."

"I cannot guide you; everything depends on you. If you need any resources during your cultivation, feel free to ask Ying Wuzhan."

Xu Qing's mind trembled slightly, then he felt relieved.

Earth Sovereign indeed already knew about his situation.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "Earth Ancestor, as you know, Junior already has some ideas. I wish to return to the Eternal Dao Realm for a trip. As for the responsibility of guarding the Eighty-First Fortress City..."

"Go." Earth Sovereign assented before he could finish, as if he had already anticipated it, "As for the Fortress City, I will arrange for someone else to take over."

"Thank you, Earth Ancestor, for your benevolence!" Xu Qing bowed deeply.

Exiting the Earth Ancestor Palace, Xu Qing's figure merged into the flowing light of the Main City.

Beneath the starry sky, Earth Sovereign gazed in the direction of his departure, Ten Thousand Daos rising and falling in his eyes.

He murmured softly, "Your growth is truly incredible. I hope you can truly forge a grand Dao that belongs to you alone."