Xu Qing had no experience clashing with the power of six flames. But he had a good idea what it would be like. He knew that with every additional flame in Foundation Establishment, one’s battle prowess would experience heaven-shaking, earth-toppling advances. In fact, in his experience, each additional flame was like the difference between Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment, an entire cultivation realm.

Xu Qing wasn’t sure if there were other worlds beyond the starry sky that he could see, and if there were, if the species there practiced cultivation. If they did, was there still a Foundation Establishment level that involved cultivating life flames? Was there a monumental difference with each additional flame?

All he knew was that there were big differences between each stage of Foundation Establishment here. For example, four-flame power could crush three-flame power. Unless the latter had some astonishing treasure, they would die for sure. It wasn’t even possible to overwhelm a higher level of power by using numbers, like it was with Qi Condensation.

Similarly, six-flame battle prowess could crush five-flame power.

Xu Qing knew that Master Shengyun was moving so quickly it wasn’t even possible to see him clearly.

With his own three life flames burning, and his life lamp, plus the blessing of the golden crow to his fleshly body, he was just barely able to make out a string of afterimages. Then Master Shengyun was right in front of him.

Next, a terrifying wave of force hit him, something he couldn’t possibly block. A huge boom rang out, and Xu Qing tumbled backward like a kite with its string cut, his face pale, blood spraying out of his mouth. That said, he had no major injuries.

The moment Master Shengyun launched his attack, a field of light appeared around Xu Qing, creating a defensive barrier that blocked the power of the six-flame attack!

“So you have a Nascent Soul defensive item,” Master Shengyun said coolly as he pulled his hand back. “I can tell it’s weak, though. How much longer will it last?” 1

A large furrow had been dug in the ground by Xu Qing as he flew backward. Several dozen meters away, he finally stopped moving, then looked up coldly at Master Shengyun. Now Xu Qing had experienced how strong Master Shengyun was. It actually felt similar to the Gold Core Seastar chieftain, before Bai Li had revealed himself. 2

It was the same level of speed, and the same type of explosive power. No wonder the First Peak highnesses had been defeated so easily. Obviously, if that fight had taken place outside of Seven Blood Eyes, then those highnesses wouldn’t just have been defeated. They would have been killed.

Xu Qing knew that his own five-flame battle prowess wasn’t going to help. Once he lost the jade pendant given to him by Master Sixth, he would die for sure. The violet crystal would never be able to heal him fast enough.

It wasn’t just the six-flame power that was terrifying. Xu Qing’s beetles were still unable to get through Master Shengyun’s life lamp defenses to burrow into his body. ｂ𝚍ｎｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏｍ

Does that mean that six-flame power… is basically the same as Gold Core power? The same as a single heavenly palace??Xu Qing thought back to the information about Sima Ru from the House of Grue Hunters, and how it had mentioned heavenly palaces. 3

Right now, he didn’t know very much about the Gold Core level, but he did know that it involved more than just one heavenly palace. For example, Sima Ru was in seclusion trying to form a second heavenly palace.

In the Gold Core level, one palace is equivalent to six flames?

If an observer could have been privy to Xu Qing’s thoughts, they would be very surprised. Despite the circumstances, Xu Qing didn’t seem worried at all, and was actually spending time thinking about Gold Core and heavenly palaces.

“Very amusing. You’re thinking about something? Well, let’s see how long your defenses will hold out.” Expression placid, Master Shengyun strode forward, yet simultaneously moved with shocking speed. He was nothing but a blur as he arrived in front of Xu Qing and then thrust his palm out.

This time, Xu Qing prepared to fight back. The moment the palm started moving, he tapped into all 92 of his dharma apertures, causing radiant light to blaze. He also performed a double-handed incantation gesture and then pushed his hands out. As he did, a discarnate soul in one of his dharma apertures shot out in front of him and turned into a weapon.

Rumbling sounds echoed. However, Master Shengyun was just too fast. He suddenly appeared next to Xu Qing, then calmly waved his hand. A tremor passed through Xu Qing, and the jade pendant from Master Sixth vibrated. At the same time, he was thrown backward again.

However, the discarnate soul he had released seemed to move on instinct as it shot toward Master Shengyun with voracious madness.

“Too weak,” Master Shengyun said, shaking his head. He waved his hand again to wipe the discarnate soul out of existence.

However, as soon as his hand made contact with the discarnate soul, the soul’s voraciousness skyrocketed and it burrowed into the hand. That particular discarnate soul was the Gruegloom that Xu Qing had been tormenting ever since capturing it. That mysterious species had the ability to possess people. And Master Shengyun’s life lamp was protecting his physical body, not his soul. Because of that, the Gruegloom’s soul was able to burrow right into him, where it then prepared to consume him.

“Well, isn’t this interesting.” Master Shengyun’s facial expression still hadn’t changed. However, the ravagemist bird behind him stretched its wings, looked scornfully at Master Shengyun, and then suddenly pecked at him viciously!

Because it was illusory, that pecking attack went right into Master Shengyun. And then an agonized shriek rang out as the discarnate soul of the Gruegloom that Xu Qing had tormented for so long was instantly swallowed up by the ravagemist bird! It was now possible to see a black hole inside the bird, which sucked the Gruegloom soul into it and trapped it there, all while it screamed piteously.

During that entire time, Master Shengyun’s expression remained completely neutral. It was as if the discarnate soul wasn’t worth anything to him. Looking over at Xu Qing with blood dribbling down the sides of his chin, Master Shengyun shook his head.

“Anything else you want to try? If not, then all we’re waiting for are your defenses to fall. After that, you’re dead.”

“You talk a lot,” Xu Qing said, wiping the blood from his chin.

Master Shengyun didn’t respond. He lifted his right foot, then brought it down.

However, right at that exact moment, a tremor passed through him. For the first time, his facial expression changed, and looked down to see that there was a dark shadow on the last of his 120 dharma apertures. The shadow seemed like it was alive. With maddening speed, it spread out to completely cover his 120th dharma aperture. And it succeeded!!

The moment that dharma aperture was covered, Master Shengyun’s fourth life flame suddenly began to dim. At the same time, the light surrounding him became a bit less bright. That darkening effect wasn’t done. Over the space of three breaths of time, his fourth life flame completely went out!! When it came to the 120 dharma apertures, every set of 30 was used to light a life flame. That was a standard law of magic in the Foundation Establishment level. There were no exceptions. If you only had 119 dharma apertures, you couldn’t sustain four life flames!

This was the entire reason for Xu Qing’s confidence in not only being able to face Master Shengyun, but also spending time thinking about Gold Core and heavenly palaces.

After studying the four-flame chosen from the Seven Sect Coalition for so long, he had come to the conclusion that this was their biggest weakness! All you had to do was get rid of a single dharma aperture, and their battle prowess would drop down by the level of an entire life flame.

His shadow could extinguish life flames, so even if Master Shengyun’s cultivation base had been higher, there was no question as to whether it could extinguish one of his dharma apertures.

This had been Xu Qing’s plan all along!

As the shadow stuck to the dharma aperture like glue, making sure it was absolutely covered, Master Shengyun’s four life flames became three.

His expression instantly turned grim. It didn’t matter if it was the ravagemist bird, or his burning life lamps, he simply could not drive away the shadowy grue. He already knew where the shadow came from. It had been concealed in the discarnate soul. That was how it entered him without him realizing it. And while the ravagemist bird got rid of the discarnate soul, the shadow remained.

“This trick…” Master Shengyun said, glaring at Xu Qing with killing intent, “is supposed to be impressive or something? You’re weak! And you’ll always be weak. Maybe I have one less flame, but that’s still the power of five! And that’s enough to crush you!” Master Shengyun’s five life flames burned hot as he shot toward Xu Qing.

Now, however, Xu Qing didn’t bother to mask the killing intent in his eyes. And that was because his opponent was now moving at the same speed he was. All of a sudden, Xu Qing burst into motion.

He moved like a bolt of lightning, piercing through the air in the blink of an eye to slam into Master Shengyun.

Master Shengyun’s eyes narrowed in surprise at how fast Xu Qing was. As his right palm descended, Xu Qing’s eyes turned cold and he let loose a fist strike. As the two exchanged a blow, Master Shengyun snorted coldly, performed a quick incantation gesture, and then flicked his sleeve. Thrumming with strength, he shoved his index finger toward Xu Qing’s eye.

Xu Qing’s left hand flashed in an incantation gesture, and a dagger materialized in it, which he slashed toward Master Shengyun’s throat.

Rumbling sounds rang out as the two fought.

Master Shengyun’s right foot swept through the air toward Xu Qing, but Xu Qing evaded it, then bent his knee and launched it toward Master Shengyun’s chest. At the same time, he waved both hands in front of him, causing balefire to erupt out.

Eyes glinting sharply, Master Shengyun threw both of his hands out in front of him and the two smashed into each other. Massive booms rang out in all directions, causing heaven and earth to shake violently!

None of the observers were able to see exactly what Xu Qing and Master Shengyun were doing. All they could do was hear the terrifying rumbling of the fight, and watch as numerous buildings in the area were crushed into rubble. It was incomparably intense.

A moment later, Master Shengyun appeared in the air. Falling back several dozen meters, he glared at Xu Qing with a suspicious look in his eye.

“There’s something suspicious going on with you!”

1. Master Sixth gave Xu Qing a Nascent Soul defensive item in👈

2. Xu Qing fought the Seastar chieftain in👈

3. The information about Sima Ru was in👈