Chapter 983
The Great Emperor of Abundance? You have a way to die!
Within the Myriad Realms King Map, Fang Qing and Yang Qi, relying on their formidable strength and the convenience brought by the Space God Worm, continued to systematically explore the "Boundary Point" region.
Once an opportunity arises, the defenders are swiftly crushed with overwhelming force. Before reinforcements arrive, the most precious treasures from the eruption are seized, and the enemy departs triumphantly.
This guerrilla tactic allowed them to reap greater rewards.
At the same time, they did not kill indiscriminately during the operation.
For those cultivators who are not vicious but are forced to submit or lack strength, Fang Qing often makes an exception and even occasionally leaves some low-value resources or gives them some pointers.
This adds a layer of complexity and ambiguity to his infamous reputation as the "Double Fiends of Space".
During an attack on a border controlled by a medium-sized force called the "Black Fiend Alliance," they not only seized a batch of precious materials and several decent quasi-immortal artifacts, but also rescued a group of cultivators who had been enslaved by the Black Fiend Alliance and used as laborers or cannon fodder.
Most of these cultivators were Great Saints who were forcibly abducted or defeated by the Black Fiend Alliance and then had restrictions placed on them. They came from different eras and star regions and struggled to survive in the Myriad Realms King Map, having long since given up hope.
Fang Qing casually removed the restrictions on them, without demanding their loyalty, and simply told them they could leave on their own.
However, these monks did not leave immediately after regaining their freedom.
They witnessed firsthand Fang Qing's unfathomable strength and Yang Qi's unparalleled combat power, and they also felt that Fang Qing's way of handling things was not purely violent, but rather based on certain principles of "reasoning".
In this precarious and dog-eat-dog world of Wang Tu, how precious is such a powerful and reasonable patron!
"Senior! Please take us in! We are willing to serve you like dogs and horses, following you wherever you may, for we only ask for a sliver of hope!"
"Yes, senior! We have been enslaved and humiliated here, and have long been disheartened. Senior saved us from dire straits, and we are willing to follow you to the death!"
"Senior's strength is extraordinary. If we can follow him, even if we only do some chores, it's better than being killed at will here!"
Nearly a hundred rescued cultivators knelt down in unison, their voices filled with sorrow and pleading, their eyes once again shining with hope.
Among them were even several experts at the seventh or eighth level of the Great Sage realm, but they had been trapped for a long time and lacked resources, making them appear quite destitute.
Fang Qing looked at these cultivators, most of whom bore scars and the marks of time. Their eyes held not only pleading but also a resilience forged through hardship.
He hesitated for a moment.
These people might be useful.
"Follow me, you may."
Fang Qing spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "But you must abide by my rules. No betrayal, no indiscriminate killing, and absolute obedience. If you can do this, you can stay. If you can't, you can leave now, and I will not stop you."
"We are willing to follow the rules of our predecessors! We swear to be loyal to them to the death and have no other intentions!"
Everyone responded in unison, their expressions filled with excitement.
"it is good."
Fang Qing nodded and casually cast several runes containing chaotic true energy, imprinting them on the bodies of the strongest cultivators at the head of the group. "These are 'chaotic restrictions,' which are harmless and only facilitate contact and identity verification. If you make contributions in the future, I will remove them and reward you with resources and cultivation techniques."
He did not fully trust these people, and necessary checks and balances were still needed, but at the same time he offered hope and promises.
After taking in these people, Fang Qing temporarily settled them near the abandoned temple he had previously discovered, and bestowed upon them some basic resources to help them recover their strength and reorganize their forces.
He also taught them a simple combined attack formation and several practical techniques to improve their overall combat effectiveness.
This newly recruited team was named the Qingxuan Guard by him and was temporarily led by several of the strongest former Great Saint Rank 8 cultivators.
With the Qingxuan Guards serving as their eyes and ears and an external force, Fang Qing and Yang Qi's actions became much smoother. Their intelligence-gathering channels broadened, they gained a better understanding of the movements of some small and medium-sized forces, and sometimes they were even able to make advance plans or instigate discontented elements within opposing sides.
During an operation targeting one of Tingyulou's outer outposts, they not only successfully seized a batch of cultivation jade slips from the outpost, but also rescued a group of cultivators who had been imprisoned by Tingyulou for some kind of evil ritual. Among them were many talents who were proficient in formations, alchemy, or possessed special bloodlines.
These people were deeply grateful, and most of them chose to join the Qingxuan Guard.
On another occasion, they accidentally stumbled into a side hall of an ancient ruin, where they discovered a puppet core and an ancient stone tablet inscribed with the secret technique of "Yin Yang Five Rings Kill".
This "Yin-Yang Five Ring Kill" is an extremely exquisite divine skill that integrates offense and defense. It uses the two energies of Yin and Yang to evolve into five elemental rings for killing, making it incredibly powerful.
If placed in the outside world, it would be considered a Heaven-level Qigong, so it can be said to have some value.
As Fang Qing's reputation spread with each operation and rescue, his name became widely known.
To his enemies, he was the ruthless and elusive leader of the "Spatial Duo," but to many struggling cultivators, he was the Qingxuan Master who brought hope and order.
More and more cultivators who were oppressed and saw no way out in the Myriad Realms King Map began to actively seek refuge with or secretly pass messages to the Qingxuan Guard.
The Qingxuan Guard expanded rapidly, like a snowball rolling downhill.
In just a few months, the number of people has grown from less than a hundred to several thousand!
Although there aren't many truly skilled individuals among them, the intelligence advantage brought by their numbers and their ability to infiltrate certain areas are still quite significant.
Fang Qing established a simple hierarchy and contribution system, encouraging his subordinates to explore, collect resources, and exchange them for cultivation techniques, thus putting the entire force into a virtuous cycle.
It seems only a matter of time before the number exceeds 10,000.
As this massive group gathered, an invisible yet real force began to quietly converge on Fang Qing—the power of wishes!
It was the pure will of thousands of monks who regained hope in despair, and their gratitude, reverence, trust, and following of those who gave them hope.
This powerful force of will surged forth like a mighty river, flowing into Fang Qing's sea of consciousness and the chaotic inner world.
This power of aspiration can nourish his soul, solidify his Dao heart, and even provide ineffable assistance to his understanding of certain laws concerning sentient beings, faith, and cause and effect.
Nourished by the power of his will, his "eye of the Lord" became clearer and more transparent, and the chaotic inner world also gained more vitality because of the power of his will that brought the hope of "life".
It was still a very pleasant experience.
Of course, the expansion of power will inevitably affect the existing pattern of interests.
The rapid rise of Qingxuan Guard has aroused the vigilance and hostility of several nearby forces, especially the "Great Emperor's Gate".
During one of the Qingxuan Guard squads' explorations of an open ruin, they were ambushed by a branch of the Great Emperor Sect, suffering significant losses.
Upon hearing the news, Fang Qing personally led Yang Qi and his elite troops to the destination.
He used their own methods against them, utilizing the stealth capabilities of the spatial insects to infiltrate a key resource point controlled by the other party, swiftly looting it and leaving his mark behind.
The Great Emperor's Sect branch was furious, and the branch leader personally led a team to search for and retaliate, but they repeatedly came up empty-handed.
Fang Qing mastered guerrilla tactics to the extreme, using his control over space to appear and disappear unpredictably, constantly harassing the enemy's weak points, plundering resources, rescuing the enslaved, and causing the enemy a great deal of trouble.
In several small-scale skirmishes, Fang Qing even personally took action, killing one of the opposing deputy leaders at the Heavenly Realm, which greatly enhanced his reputation.
Ultimately, the Great Emperor's Sect branch had no choice but to shrink its defenses and tacitly acknowledge the existence of the Qingxuan Guards on the periphery of its territory.
After this battle, the Qingxuan Guard officially established itself in this area, and its membership quickly exceeded 10,000.
Fang Qing also gained a more stable source of motivation and resources.
After consolidating his power, Fang Qing focused more on his own cultivation and seeking opportunities at a higher level.
He never forgot to collect the ancient serpent talisman of the Supreme Emperor.
Based on his faint connection with the first talisman and by mobilizing the Qingxuan Guard to gather relevant information, he gradually pinpointed several areas where the other ancient serpent talismans of the Emperor might have ended up.
In the days that followed, Fang Qing set his sights on these ancient talismans.
After spending some time, Fang Qing collected another twenty-seven Ancient Serpent Talismans of the Supreme Emperor.
Including the first one, he now possesses twenty-eight supreme talismans crafted by the Devouring King!
When he refined the twenty-eighth ancient serpent talisman and absorbed it into the inner world of chaos, it floated alongside the other twenty-seven talismans.
A sudden change has occurred!
The twenty-eight ancient serpent talismans of the Supreme Emperor vibrated violently at the same time, as if they were ferocious beasts that had been sleeping for thousands of years, awakened by each other's aura.
On the talisman, the lifelike imperial serpent pattern suddenly shone with a dazzling dark golden light. A vast and ancient, terrifying intent, seemingly capable of devouring all the heavens and myriad realms and disregarding even the Immortal Realm, erupted from the twenty-eight talismans and surged into Fang Qing's sea of consciousness.
Fang Qing shuddered, his consciousness being pulled into a boundless, chaotic void.
In that void, he saw an ancient serpent of indescribable size, its body spanning countless planes, stars appearing as dust before it, and the brilliance of the immortal realm being shrouded in its immense shadow.
The snake's mouth opened wide, as if it could swallow the entire universe!
This is a manifestation of a trace of the ancient Devouring King's will!
However, what shocked Fang Qing was that he not only witnessed the will of the Devouring King, but also an earth-shattering battle.
Opposite the ancient giant serpent that was the incarnation of the Devouring King stood a divine statue that was equally towering and exuded supreme majesty that suppressed hell and ruled over all the gods!
The divine elephant was somewhat similar to the phantom that Yang Qi condensed when he cultivated the "Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Technique," but its majesty, holiness, and power exceeded the limits of imagination. It seemed to be the source of all power and the symbol of all suppression.
The giant serpent and the divine elephant confronted and fought each other in the chaos. The serpent opened its mouth, and the law of devouring evolved to its extreme, trying to swallow the divine elephant along with the entire space-time in which it existed.
The divine elephant let out a long roar that shook the heavens, its trunk sweeping across the land, its giant feet trampling, unleashing boundless suppressive power and divine radiance, determined to completely suppress the giant serpent in the deepest part of hell.
This is a re-enactment of ancient mythology!
Although it was only a fragment remaining in his will, that earth-shattering aura that made even the immortal realm tremble was deeply imprinted in Fang Qing's soul.
As this Devouring Heaven Will merged into him, Fang Qing felt his understanding of the Devouring Dao instantly soar to a whole new level.
The chaotic true energy within his body began to circulate spontaneously in an incomparably profound way, faintly resonating with the twenty-eight ancient snake talismans. A sense of hunger and domineering will, as if capable of swallowing a small world, grew in his heart.
He tried to activate this power, and with just a thought, the energy in the surrounding chaotic inner world frantically converged towards the twenty-eight talismans. The talismans shone brightly, faintly transforming into a dark golden serpent phantom that had shrunk countless times.
He felt that if he fully unleashed this power, he could even devour and refine a whole world!
Their strength has surged once again.
Although his realm is still limited by the special laws of the Myriad Realms King Map, his combat power, his understanding of the Great Dao, and the methods he has mastered have reached an outrageous level.
He even felt that even those at the fifth or sixth level of the Heavenly Realm, or even the seventh or eighth level, were nothing in front of him.
It has an invincible air about it.
Fang Qing wasn't the only one to benefit; Yang Qi did too.
He also received a tremendous boost, and the Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Technique showed new changes.
Just as the two were making further progress, an unexpected person came knocking on their door.
He was an old Taoist priest dressed in worn black clothes, with a withered face, but whose eyes held an indelible sense of dignity and vicissitude.
He called himself the Great Emperor of Abundance and made no attempt to conceal his aura. A vast and heavy pressure, as if bearing the weight of countless ages and boundless lands, spread out unrestrainedly, like an invisible mountain pressing down on the entire encampment.
Celestial Realm!
Moreover, he is by no means a newcomer to the Heavenly Realm!
They are terrifying beings who are at least at the fourth or fifth level of the Heavenly Realm!
With such cultivation, even within the Myriad Realms King Map, he would definitely be a hegemon-level figure!
The Qingxuan Guards stationed there were stunned by the sudden and terrifying pressure, unable to move, their faces pale and their breathing difficult.
Even the strongest ninth-level Great Saint commanders felt their souls tremble and could not muster the slightest thought of resistance.
The old Taoist's gaze, like two ancient, dark lamps, bypassed everyone and locked onto Fang Qing, who had just emerged from the meditation room.
More accurately, it was locked onto the domineering aura of the Ancient Serpent Talisman of the Supreme Emperor that was still faintly revealed on Fang Qing, even though he tried his best to conceal it!
“Young man, you possess something I need. Hand over those talismans imbued with the power of devouring, as well as seventy percent of the treasures in your storage space, and I will accept you as a disciple and ensure your safety here.”
His tone was flat, yet it was filled with a condescending sense of charity and a sense of entitlement to plunder. It was as if Fang Qing was incredibly honored to be chosen by him and offered up his treasures.
Clearly, this Emperor Fengrao sensed the extraordinary nature of the Ancient Serpent Talisman of the Supreme Emperor and harbored covetous intentions.
He was confident in his fifth-level Heavenly Realm cultivation and didn't take the "junior" in front of him, who only had the aura of a Great Sage, seriously.
Faced with this sudden and formidable enemy and blatant extortion, Yang Qi and the others behind Fang Qing were on high alert, as if facing a formidable foe.
A being at the fifth level of the Heavenly Realm could probably wipe out their territory with a wave of their hand!
However, Fang Qing merely raised his eyelids slightly, looking at the powerful and imposing Emperor Fengrao who stood in mid-air. There was not a trace of panic on his face; instead, he revealed a half-smile.
"Emperor of Abundance? We have some connection, you know. But if you try to take my things, you're courting death."
Fang Qing shook her head.
"What? You're really courting death! Since you won't listen to reason, then I'll fetch it myself and wipe out this arrogant ant while I'm at it!"
Before he could finish speaking, the Abundant Emperor had already made his move. He didn't even bother to use any fancy supernatural powers; he simply raised his withered hand and pressed it down in mid-air towards Fang Qing's location.
Boom!
The sky seemed to have collapsed!
A gigantic hand, formed from thick, earthy-yellow primordial energy, covered an area of several miles. Within its palm, faint images of mountains, rivers, cities, and people appeared, exuding an aura of "abundance" that suppressed the earth and bore all things.
This is his abundant palm, containing the essence of the Great Dao he cultivated throughout his life.
The terrifying pressure caused all the Qingxuan Guards below to close their eyes in despair.
However, faced with this attack that would make even ordinary Heavenly Realm cultivators change color, Fang Qing simply sighed softly.
"That's it?"
He didn't even move his feet; he simply raised his right hand to meet the massive hand that was slamming down, spread his fingers, and then gently clenched them.
A bizarre scene unfolded.
The menacing "abundant palm," which seemed capable of destroying everything, suddenly seemed to sink into an invisible quagmire when it was still a hundred feet above Fang Qing's head. The space around the palm began to violently twist and fold, and then... collapsed!
It was as if an invisible giant maw was greedily devouring all the energy and laws contained in the palm. The phantoms of mountains, rivers, cities and people quickly dimmed and dissipated, and the thick, earthy yellow primordial energy was also "sucked" away at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In just two or three breaths, the colossal hand that blotted out the sky shrank and disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.
"what?!"
The composure and murderous intent on Emperor Fengrao's face froze instantly, turning into utter horror.
He felt his connection to that palm strike being forcibly severed, and the power contained within it was inexplicably swallowed up by the other party!
What kind of bizarre method is this?!
Before he could recover from the shock, Fang Qing's figure, like a ghost, had already crossed the distance of space and appeared in front of him!
"Are you done?" Fang Qing said calmly. "Then try taking one of my moves."
As soon as he finished speaking, Fang Qing simply threw a punch!
This punch, simple and unadorned, seemed to incorporate the origin of chaos, the birth and death of the five elements, the rotation of yin and yang, and a trace of the "devouring heaven" will that would make all the heavens tremble.
Wherever the fist passed, space silently vanished, leaving a straight black trail.
Emperor Fengrao's pupils shrank suddenly, and he frantically activated the Heavenly Laws within his body, setting up layers of thick defensive barriers in front of him, as heavy as the earth.
At the same time, the old black clothes he wore also emitted a hazy earthy yellow glow, revealing them to be an ancient treasure with astonishing defensive power.
However, it was all in vain.
Fang Qing's fist pierced through layers of defensive barriers without any resistance. The ancient black treasure emanated a mournful cry of being unable to bear the burden, and its light dimmed instantly.
boom!
The fist landed solidly on the chest of the Abundant Emperor!
Emperor Fengrao felt an indescribable, terrifying power and a devouring intent penetrate his body. His protective aura, celestial laws, and even the vitality of his physical body and the origin of his soul were all frantically disintegrating and dissipating under this punch.
"No...it's impossible...you..."
The horror in the eyes of the Abundant Emperor turned into boundless fear and despair. He wanted to beg for mercy and escape, but found that he could not even move a finger.
He, a mighty ancient emperor at the fifth level of the Heavenly Realm, was utterly defeated by a young man who appeared to be only at the Great Saint Realm, with a single punch leaving him powerless to fight back, and even his very essence being devoured.
What an absurd and terrifying reality this is!
"Our good relationship has ended because of your intervention."
Fang Qing shook his head and continued to activate the snake talisman. A terrifying will flowed, and the body of the Abundant Emperor turned into specks of light and dust, completely dissipating into the air.
This once mighty and powerful ancient emperor has thus come to a complete end. (End of Chapter)