In the depths of the massive lake, the spot where the god’s finger made īts possession attempt was now unnaturally silent. The mutagen levels were very high, causing everything to ripple and distort as it gradually turned into a forbidden region.

The source of that forbidden region was a huge figure standing in the depths. It was 900 meters tall and looked like some type of devilish god. It was completely naked, without any clothing. Swirling mist surrounded it, making it look almost dead. However, countless faintly glimmering magical symbols could be seen on its skin, causing it to pulse with an ancient aura that seemed alive. That figure seemed like a mountain, with shoulders broad enough to prop up the dome of heaven. It was perfectly proportioned, with a bewitching face. Within the mutagen and mist, it seemed profoundly nefarious. It also seemed fatally attractive.

As time passed, the devilish god began to glow with seven-colored light. At first, it was weak. But it gradually grew more dazzling, until finally, that devilish god’s body seemed extremely holy. And then the nefariousness and the holiness combined with each other.

Some time passed, and the huge body shivered. Then it started dissolving.

It started with the head, then the neck. After that, the limbs. It almost looked like a person taking off a suit of armor. Countless tendrils of flesh sucked inward to Xu Qing’s real body.

Before long, all of the exterior flesh and blood was back inside, and the 900-meter-tall devilish god body had vanished. Xu Qing opened his eyes. At first, he looked a bit confused. Everything that had just occurred was inside his sea of consciousness, and now that he was waking up, it almost seemed like a dream.

The moment he opened his eyes, he coughed up a huge mouthful of black blood. He wasn’t injured. Instead, he felt something brimming inside of him. And he felt a fleshly body power that vastly surpassed anything from before. As the feeling surged within him, he struggled to control his breathing. And the confused look in his eyes resolved into clarity.

“My body…” he murmured. After sensing himself, his spirits lifted.

His body felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. After a few breaths of time passed, his eyes glittered brightly. Then he burst into motion, causing a piercing boom as he suddenly moved hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye.

It was an astonishing level of speed. Left behind him was a string of slowly fading afterimages. 𝑖𝓇𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝘮

I’m so fast.

Based on what he could sense, his fleshly body was at least three times stronger than before. Eyes shining, he launched an experimental punch with his right hand. He used no magical technique, just fleshly body power. And as a result, a vortex opened up, rumbling loudly, surrounded by a destructive tempest. It destroyed anything it touched.

Xu Qing’s pupils constricted, and his heart started pounding. Clearly, his body was very different compared to before. He was faster and stronger, but also, a lot tougher. And his attack power was very different. In a very short time, he had experienced a heaven-shaking, earth-toppling transformation. His fleshly body level had changed.

As his heart raced in his chest, he released his taboo poison, causing it to fill his body and test how well he could sustain godly power.

Soon he realized that the taboo poison was deeply fused with his body. In the past, releasing the taboo poison would cause his own flesh to corrode. Thankfully, he had built up a resistance, so the effects weren’t too bad. Combined with the powers of the violet crystal, he could maintain an equilibrium. But that was only short-term. If he used the taboo poison for a long time, the effects could be calamitous. As of now, though, that didn’t seem to be happening at all. His body seemed fully acclimated to the power of the taboo poison.

His mood lifted as he did some tests with the violet moon. Soon, he discovered that he was much more able to deal with the violet moon’s power as well. Apparently, this body really had been built with the intention of being able to use the power of a god.

“A god body…” he murmured.

He tested out some more of his magical techniques, and before long, confirmed that this fleshly body upgrade affected every aspect of himself. The good fortune he was experiencing left him feeling very excited. It was sort of like reaping without sowing.

This is what happens when I take really big risks! Of course, this isn’t truly the body of a god….

Xu Qing could remember the 900-meter-tall external shell from earlier. By casting his senses into himself, he could see a large number of golden threads. They seemed infinite, filling every part of him, and all of them pulsed with a very holy sensation. He could tell they were harmless, and also that he could control them. That said, the method of control wasn’t magical techniques or cultivation base. It was only by tapping into the power of the taboo poison and the essence of the violet moon that he could do so. Also, he couldn’t use them to form that same exterior shell as before.

It seems that the 900-meter-tall exterior shell was the real god body. Unfortunately, I can’t make it again right now…. Obviously, it was because he didn’t have enough godly power.

That was the body the god’s finger had prepared. Xu Qing next scanned his tenth heavenly palace in his sea of consciousness.

Within the cells in D-132, the blood-colored finger rested alone, sleeping. However, apparently because of being so lonely, īt wasn’t sleeping soundly, but rather, stirred occasionally.

Sadly I have no control. But one day, I should be able to use the violet crystal to completely seal it. Then I’ll be in control just as I’m in control of the shadow.

Xu Qing did not feel bound to stick by the words he had spoken earlier to the finger. It was just like the time his Master had taken him along to prepare his special technique. Master Seventh took him to many sects to look through their secret magical techniques. When they left each sect, Master Seventh taught Xu Qing how to bow and offer respects. That way, if they met as enemies, they could kill them with a clean conscience. This was a similar situation. Xu Qing felt that what his Master had said made sense, and therefore, he clasped hands and bowed. Though there was nothing in front of him to bow to, Xu Qing felt that the sincerity in his heart was the most important thing. As long as he was being sincere, it was the same as actually bowing in thanks to the god’s finger. It was the type of logic Master Seventh had taught to Xu Qing, and he agreed with it. 1

However, he still needed to make sure that the finger slept peacefully, so after bowing, he looked around. After sensing his next objective, he blurred into motion, becoming another string of afterimages.

His destination was an unrolled scroll painting. The painting had once been filled with a large family, but now the only person left was an old man. His expression was one of terror, and that was because he wasn’t alone. He was the only person left, but there was also a vicious bluegreen dragon next to him with its mouth wide open.

Xu Qing looked coldly at the painting, reached out, and made a grasping gesture. The painting flew up into his hand. When the bluegreen dragon sensed him, it flew out.

Looking at Xu Qing, it roared, then let loose a loud belch. Finally, it returned to the sixth heavenly palace inside Xu Qing.

“Get the hell out of there!” Xu Qing said coolly, looking into the painting.

The bluegreen dragon knew he wasn’t talking to it, so it settled down quietly.

Inside the painting, Sir Inkwell shivered with fear. However, he didn’t dare to ignore Xu Qing, so he emerged from inside the painting. After taking human form, he floated in front of Xu Qing, looking terrified.

Shivering uncontrollably, he cautiously asked, “Sir… sir, are you the god favored by heaven, or are you the jailer?”

He really wasn’t able to tell exactly who he was dealing with.

Face expressionless, Xu Qing sent some divine will to the shadow.

The shadow immediately rose up from the ground, pulsing with a terrifying aura, looking completely ferocious with bared teeth and flexing claws. Despite its ferocious appearance, the shadow was actually feeling very scared. When Xu Qing had been in danger of being possessed, the shadow had been hiding. The truth was that it had harbored some hope that the violet crystal might end up being broken by the god….

If that happened, the shadow might have a chance at freedom.

But when the violet crystal erupted with power, and the god’s finger moaned in agony, the shadow had become filled with terror and despair.

That said, regardless of anything, it didn’t want to die. Therefore, it put on a show of being completely devoted and loyal. It loudly salivated as all of its countless eyes glared at Sir Inkwell. Then it growled a bit, like a vicious dog.

When Sir Inkwell saw the shadow like that, his face fell.

“Y-y-you’re… you’re the jailer!! How is that even possible? Weren’t you being possessed by the god’s finger? How could a godly possession have failed?”

Sir Inkwell trembled violently. He recognized the shadow. After all, the shadow had shown a lot of interest in him back in D-132. 2

Xu Qing’s eyes glittered with cold light, and the shadow understood what he wanted. Acting like the vicious dog, the shadow lunged forward and sunk its teeth into Sir Inkwell. An agonized shriek echoed out from the old Paintedfolk’s mouth.

Xu Qing ignored him as he next went to the head and stone lion. The two of them had still not recovered yet, so though they wanted to flee, they couldn’t. The stone lion’s legs had not grown back, while the head was only half complete. Upon seeing Xu Qing moments ago, they had both begun trembling. Just like Sir Inkwell, they hadn’t been sure if he was or wasn’t Xu Qing. But then they heard Sir Inkwell’s voice, and they realized what was going on. And that filled them with intense terror.

“That god’s possession failed? Holy crap….”

Then the head noticed the bedraggled state of Sir Inkwell and his painting.

“Congratulations, exalted one!” he gushed fawningly. “Great job! Your humble servant guessed earlier that the shifty god wouldn’t be a match for you, sir. And that old fart Sir Inkwell obviously was being as treacherous as ever. Exalted one, you can consign him to eternal damnation by hardly lifting your finger! Your humble servant really is extremely excited. We’re finally getting our D-132 reunion!”

Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior suddenly whooshed out of Xu Qing’s bag of holding.

“Milord, that’s nothing but villainous poppycock! That head seems like it’s being ingratiating, but look at the way its eyes roll when it talks! That makes it obvious the thing is planning its escape. Just like Little Shadow, these people are all traitors to the core. Milord, the moment anything goes wrong, they’ll turn on you. They’d love to see you suffer! My humble advice is to thoroughly crush them!”

The head cast a venomous glare in the direction of the black iron skewer, and was about to offer a retort. Before it could, Xu Qing waved his hand in the direction of the head. Instantly, his tenth heavenly palace appeared, and a violet glow covered the blood-red light within it.

The moment D-132 appeared, the head’s jaw dropped and its eyes went wide with disbelief.

“You wanted a reunion, right?” Xu Qing said calmly. “Get inside.”

1. Master Seventh taught Xu Qing to offer respects to enemies in chapter 304. ?

2. The shadow showed interest in Sir Inkwell in chapter 410. ?

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