Chapter 1060 God Descends in the Desert
In the end, Xu Qing left.
He didn't unveil that he was Pill Nine. However, he couldn't help but sense a sense of responsibility towards these followers of his.
After all, they had traveled from afar to this place, and their admiration for Master Pill Nine was evident. The increasing renown of Pill Nine's name in the Moon Rebel Hall was closely tied to their enthusiastic word of mouth.
Hence, before he left, Xu Qing left a shadow eye in the woman's shadow.
If they encountered any danger, Xu Qing would be able to sense it immediately and provide help.
Xu Qing's previous warning wasn't baseless. In reality, over the past few days, with the frequent failures of the rebellion army outside, the overall situation had essentially been suppressed by the Red Moon Shrine.
The scattered resistance forces didn't draw much attention from the Red Moon cultivators. After all, some cultivators within the Red Moon Shrine still hoped for a greater number of living beings to be sacrificed.
However, as the rebel army collapsed, the desert naturally became increasingly conspicuous.
This was especially after the fourth hall master brought people into the desert.
In fact, Xu Qing even received a report from Wu Jianwu. His descendants were arranged to be scouts outside and they discovered that during this period of time, Red Moon cultivators often tried to barge into the desert.
Although they were all blocked by the storm and the range of entry was limited, according to the parrot's investigation, outside the desert… a large number of Red Moon cultivators were gathering.
However, these Red Moon cultivators didn't act rashly. They were waiting.
This matter caused everyone to become vigilant. As for the Red Moon cultivators, they waited for seven to eight days before someone arrived.
This person was an old man. He wore a red robe and an emperor's crown. He was the high priest of the Red Moon Shrine.
Holding a scepter, as he arrived, the colors of the world changed, the winds and clouds stirred, and a second Red Moon appeared in the sky.
It was a phantom of the Red Moon, and its appearance in the sky triggered a tidal reaction throughout the vast desert.
In an instant, the storm within the desert was disrupted, mountain ranges collapsed, countless grains of sand tumbled, and a thunderous roar echoed through the land.
When this news spread throughout the Bitter Life Mountain Range, the Red Moon in the sky showered moonlight that transformed into countless red lightning bolts that bombarded the desert.
The entire desert shook and the storm showed signs of being torn apart. At this moment, the power of the Red Moon began to invade the desert.
This invasion was overwhelmingly dominant. Wherever it passed, gravel crumbled and disintegrated, transforming into crimson-colored soil.
At the same time, under its influence, each Red Moon cultivator radiated a blood-red light. The power bestowed by the Crimson Goddess' blessing visibly surged. Eventually, they withstood the storm and entered the vast desert, approaching the Bitter Life Mountain Range step by step.
Wherever they went, the sky turned crimson, and the earth was dyed blood-red.
Under this divine might, the storm was also slowly compressed, and the range became smaller and smaller.
Fortunately, this storm was formed by the hair of a god. It wasn't so easy to ignore it. Hence, the Red Moon cultivators couldn't cross it immediately.
It would still take some time for them to reach the Bitter Life Mountain Range.
Yet, the sense of urgency was incredibly intense, forming invisible mountains that pressed upon the hearts of the cultivators within the Bitter Life Mountain Range. It was a weighty burden, leaving everyone somewhat breathless.
Everyone felt danger. Uneasiness and nervousness kept rising.
Silence spread through the Bitter Life Mountain Range and also affected the apothecary.
Regardless of whether it was Ning Yan, Wu Jianwu, or Li Youfei, they were all anxious. Even Nether Fairy was the same.
It was the same for the little chicks in the backyard.
Only Xu Qing's expression didn't unveil his emotions at all. He was aware that the situation had reached a critical moment and he also sorted out this matter in his mind.
"The key to breaking the situation is on one hand, the return of the heir and the others."
"Also… push open the gate of the highest hall of the Moon Rebel Hall and become the master of the Moon Rebel Hall!"
Xu Qing's eyes gleamed. He had always remembered that under the mirror lake where the artifact spirit of the Moon Rebel Hall was, there were dozens of frozen statues. These were all cultivators who had participated in the temple master's trial since the arrival of the Red Moon.
They were extraordinary characters, and there were several who were at the fourth stage of Nihility like the fourth hall master.
This force, formidable in any context, would be of immense assist in resolving the crisis if it could manifest within the vast desert.
However, if he wanted to release them, he needed to become the master of the Moon Rebel Hall.
Moreover, the abilities of the Lord of the Moon Rebel Hall weren't limited to just this. According to Xu Qing's own ideas and communication with the captain during this period, they had surmised that once they became the Lord of the Moon Rebel Hall, they could materialize the Moon Rebel Hall in reality.
At that time, the Moon Rebel Hall… would no longer be the Moon Rebel Hall but a supreme treasure of the ruler!
Its might was so great that it could intimidate the whole region.
"That's a regional artifact!"
"In addition, once we become the master of the Moon Rebel Hall, we will possess the highest authority. We can instantly erase the seals imposed by the first hall master and the fifth hall master, allowing the Moon Rebel cultivators to enter the Moon Rebel Hall with their true bodies like before. This would restore their maneuverability and allow them to evade pursuit."
"Therefore, whether the heir returns is beyond my control. However, the master of the Moon Rebel… once we obtain it, everything will be resolved!"
Xu Qing's gaze was deep as he sat on the chair where the heir used to sit and analyzed everything.
After experiencing the series of events with the captain, he was fully aware of the captain's arrangements.
"Become the Lord of the Moon Rebel Hall, coordinate with his past life body and the siblings of the heir, gather the power of all living beings in the entire large region, and have all the cultivators suppress the Red Moon Shrine before the arrival of the Red Moon and complete the first major step of the plan against the Crimson Goddess."
Xu Qing looked up, and his calmness infected everyone in the apothecary. Gradually, after Ning Yan and the others calmed down, Xu Qing took out the divine sons' blood that had been gathered again from the world fragment and stepped into the highest hall of the Moon Rebel. He and the captain sped up the destruction of the Crimson Goddess' totem at the gate.
The usual hustle and bustle in the Moon Rebel Hall had disappeared now. Under the seals imposed by first and fifth hall masters, no cultivator could step in now.
On the empty mountain peak of the Moon Rebel Hall, all the temples were closed. The lights inside were dim and there was no incense burning.
Only the rumbling sound in the highest hall above grew increasingly intense, spreading in all directions like heavenly lightning.
The gate continued to shake, as though it could be pushed open at any moment. There were also streams of light spreading out from the gap of the gate, forming a holy intent.
Occasionally, the entire mountain of the Moon Rebel Hall would also tremble under the influence, stirring up fluctuations that continued to spread, causing the void outside the mountain to ripple.
Although the shaking of the gate had happened before in this era, it had never been as intense as now.
Unfortunately, no one could see this scene. Otherwise, they would definitely be extremely shocked.
In the highest hall, the totem of the Crimson Goddess on the gate had already blurred out by more than half.
This was related to the divine sons' blood. It was the key to erasing the totem. At the same time, it was also related to the captain's efforts.
"Little Qing, we'll be able to completely erase this totem in five days at most."
The moment Xu Qing entered, the captain's excited voice rang out from inside the gate. During this period of time, he had given it his all. Xu Qing was also doing his best. The two of them were racing against time.
"At that time, we will be the masters of Moon Rebel Hall!"
Xu Qing nodded and coordinated with the captain to break the gate.
From the looks of it, no matter how urgent the situation outside was, they still had enough time unless something unexpected happened.
And accidents still happened in the end.
On the third day after Xu Qing and the captain cracked the gate, the encirclement of the Red Moon cultivators was formed. The entire desert area was also reduced by half.
Wherever the Red Moon cultivators passed, the ground would be blood-red, and so would the sky.
The high priest, who was in charge of destroying the desert, held the scepter and rose into the air, emitting a monstrous aura.
On the ground, all the Red Moon Shrine cultivators prostrated and chanted.
Gradually, the color of blood rose and became denser. It spun into a vortex and rumbled.
After spinning 99 times, the red-robed high priest lifted the scepter high up.
An earth-shattering boom instantly rang out from the sky. After that, the sky churned as though a pair of invisible hands had ruthlessly torn it apart.
A huge rift that was 5,000 kilometers long appeared in the sky.
The moment it appeared, endless blood flowed down the rift, turning into a rain of blood that fell across the entire desert.
The storm that protected the Bitter Life Mountain Range dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye in the blood rain. The most astonishing thing was the aura emitted from the rift in the sky.
That aura was extremely terrifying and shook the surroundings. It not only affected the desert but also the entire Moon Worship Region.
In an instant, all the living beings in the region felt their hearts palpitate and their souls tremble.
The reason for this was a piece of skin gradually revealing itself from within the rift.
It grew larger and larger, resembling the sky where one could see undulating mountains, the embellishment of suns, moons, and stars, and countless restrictive formations forming a dazzling sky akin to a starry night. Within it, the souls of myriad races wailed in extreme agony.
This skin was entirely crimson, akin to red hell, exuding an aura of wickedness.
Paradoxically, it gave off a sense of holiness, as if the forces of good and evil, righteousness and wickedness, life and death, were all blending together, forming something bizarre.
Vaguely, the sky became blurry, as though there was only this rift left. The ground was also distorted.
Divine might towered into the sky.
The Red Moon cultivators all worshiped fanatically.
Shortly after, the skin slowly curled up into a human form. Limbs and a torso appeared…
Finally, a headless body slowly fell.
With every inch it fell, the ground rumbled and caved in by ten feet. The storm disintegrated rapidly and the sand and gravel continued to shatter into blood-colored dust that was swept up by the blood rain.
The blood rain swept across the surroundings, forming rivers and encircling in all directions, as if purgatory had descended upon the mortal realm.
The sound of wailing echoed from within the shed skin, sending shivers down the spine.
This entity was the Red Moon Shrine's greatest reliance, the reservoir of divine punishment that could suppress the Soul Accumulation and shake the entire region's living beings.
The Crimson Goddess' mortal shedding!