The battles between divine beasts and ordinary great demons should be swift, given the immense disparity between them.
Thus, when Qiongqi's fiery claws touched the ape-like demon's body, the outcome was never in doubt.
"Roar!!"
Samadhi True Fire engulfed the ape-like great demon's form, and then it began to burn.
The combustion was rapid, ending the latter's life in a mere three seconds.
In the first second, Samadhi True Fire covered the ape-like great demon's thousand-meter-tall colossal body, searing and incinerating all its fur and flesh.
In the second second, the Samadhi True Fire penetrated its body, consuming its bones, internal organs, and the essence of its demonic power and soul. In the third second, Samadhi True Fire incinerated the ashes of the ape-like great demon's corpse in the space once more.
Only when nothing remained of the ape-like great demon in space did the fire extinguish.
Little Qiongqi slowly retracted its fangs, the anger in its eyes gradually subsiding.
In its place was an undeniable weariness.
This was a newly awakened innate divine ability after breaking through to the fourth stage. Though immensely powerful, its usage was naturally taxing.
Xu Mu stood atop the mountain, silently observing everything before him.
A thousand-meter-tall, fourth-stage great demon was utterly annihilated by a mere touch of a palm-sized flame?
"If I were to be touched by this fire…"
Xu Mu shook his head. Let alone three seconds, at this rate, he would turn to ash in an instant!
Qiongqi floated in the air, surveying the surrounding demons:
"Are there any more who wish to attack these humans?"
Thousands of great demons around the mine fell silent, daring not to utter a sound.
While they could guess that such a terrifying true fire likely had limited uses, the gruesome remains of the ape-like great demon were still before their eyes.
Who would dare to sacrifice themselves for some ephemeral hatred? Was not life better?
Hummm… Rumble rumble rumble!
As Qiongqi questioned the assembled great demons, who hesitated to answer, a violent tremor and a deafening roar erupted from the mine pit, resembling a colossal sinkhole.
All the great demons turned their heads, as did Xu Mu and his companions.
They had not forgotten their original purpose for coming here.
It was not for revenge, but for opportunity.
Under the gaze of countless great demons and humans, the deep, dark mine pit now spewed forth iridescent divine light, like a volcano.
It soared a thousand zhang above the ground, forming a cylindrical column that reached the heavens.
Within this column of light, myriad dazzling particles seemed to float, scattering like pollen into space, numbering in the hundreds of millions.
The enchanting pollen drifted through the air. Some bold demons inhaled it, and their eyes immediately turned blood-red. They felt a surge of power, realizing the pollen could aid their breakthroughs with significant assistance!
"What is that!"
From a mountain peak several kilometers away, Xu Mu watched everything with a stunned expression.
Within the skyward column of divine light and pollen, he faintly discerned a strikingly beautiful flower. It had an umbrella-shaped inflorescence, lance-shaped petals that curled outwards, and stamens and pistils extending, resembling countless writhing snake heads, long and eerie.
"The Other Shore Flower has appeared!"
Xu Mu did not recognize it, but the words felt intimately familiar.
He gazed at the scene before him, unable to suppress the excitement in his heart.
The presence that had spoken to him was correct; the Other Shore Flower was indeed here!
With this item, he could save his wife, Mo Xie, who had been refined into a sword soul!
Recalling thousands of years of solitude and hardship, Yan Yu could no longer restrain himself.
Clutching his sword, he transformed into a streak of light and sped towards the mine pit, disregarding his own condition.
Xu Mu's face changed drastically upon seeing this:
"Yan Yu!"
"Come back quickly, that opportunity is not something we can covet yet!"
Xu Mu, believing Yan Yu was blinded by the allure of opportunity, urgently tried to dissuade him, but Yan Yu did not listen.
He had been consumed by guilt for this matter for over a thousand years. Now, with a genuine chance to resurrect his wife, how could he hold back!
"Good fellow, why did you come here and ask me for help?"
Little Qiongqi traversed space and appeared beside Xu Mu, inquiring.
In its eyes, Xu Mu remained the anomaly with exceptional talent and strength. For such a being to call for help, it was naturally curious about what had happened.
Xu Mu's gaze sharpened slightly, forcing him to shift his attention from Yan Yu.
He was unsure if he could trust this Qiongqi.
If Qiongqi knew he was at the end of his rope, would it burn him to ashes for revenge as well?
"It's not a plea for help, it's just inconvenient for me to act," Xu Mu thought, then leaned closer to Qiongqi's ear and whispered a lie, "The tallest tree catches the wind. I am hiding my strength, you understand."
"Oh," Little Qiongqi raised a claw and scratched its ear with a strange look in its eyes.
It had not entered the palace immediately and thus had not witnessed Xu Mu's actions on the first level. Therefore, it genuinely believed his explanation.
"Humans are truly formidable."
Qiongqi sighed, then pointed towards the mine ahead:
"Good fellow, there seems to be an opportunity inside, one that might help us break through to the Domain Lord realm. Shall we cooperate?"
Little Qiongqi was eager. Although it had just broken through to the Lord realm and awakened the Samadhi True Fire divine ability, it was not content. It wished to directly reach the Domain Lord realm, which would make its fire even more potent!
Upon hearing this, Xu Mu's facial muscles twitched almost imperceptibly.
Cooperate with Qiongqi to compete with those great demons for an opportunity?
Wouldn't that be courting death!
"Well… I won't be going. I have a friend down there named Yan Yu. You can find him."
Faced with the temptation of opportunity, Xu Mu gritted his teeth and refused Qiongqi's invitation.
At this moment, both his physical body and divine soul were depleted to their limits. Descending would be suicide; it was better to recuperate here.
After all, he had already obtained a great opportunity on the second level and held the sacred relic in his possession. There was likely nothing else worth risking his life for.
He just wanted to survive.
Little Qiongqi, hearing that Xu Mu would not go, became somewhat dejected:
"Alright, is your friend reliable?"
"Don't end up dragging me down, or I'll swallow him whole!"
As Qiongqi spoke, it mimicked the action of devouring and took a fierce bite at the air around it. This action deeply startled the others on the mountain.
"This… does Alliance Leader Xu know this beast?"
Nan Feng and the others were dumbfounded. The little tiger, which had single-handedly repelled all the great demons and then killed the mountain-like ape, was now standing on the same peak as them, chatting casually with their alliance leader?
"Just that? I've long been numb!"
Yin Zhongxiu sat cross-legged on the ground. He merely lifted an eyelid, took in the surroundings, and then closed his eyes with disdain.
In his mind, Xu Mu was now a divine being.
What was so strange about knowing a powerful demon beast?
Even if someone told him this little tiger was the legendary divine beast Qiongqi, he wouldn't be shocked in the slightest!
"He… is a very mysterious person." Xu Mu watched Yan Yu's retreating figure, recalling Charles's words.
It seemed Yan Yu was also host to the same entity that resided in his mind.
Was it also related to the Apocalypse?
He could not fathom it.
"And also a very fast man," Xu Mu added.
"Excellent, I like fast!"
Seeing that Xu Mu truly had no intention of competing for the opportunity, Little Qiongqi, unwilling to waste time, extended its claw, parted space, and vanished from its spot.
Subsequently, Xu Mu witnessed Qiongqi appearing beside Yan Yu.
After a three-second standoff, the two reached a consensus and immediately plunged into the mine pit together.
"As expected, fast."
Xu Mu was speechless upon witnessing this.
These two had only just met, and already they were teaming up to contend for an opportunity. He wondered if it was genuine trust or sheer foolishness!
"We should not be disturbed for a while."
Xu Mu shook his head slightly, then sat down on the ground and said,
"The substances in that divine light are highly effective for healing. Everyone, please recuperate. Your Alliance Leader will not be refining medicine for you."
"Yes, Alliance Leader!"
The crowd responded in unison, albeit weakly. Then, they all sat cross-legged on the mountaintop, silently absorbing the pollen in the air.
Xu Mu also closed his eyes and sat down, beginning his recovery.
He was truly exhausted, falling asleep almost immediately.
However, what Xu Mu failed to notice was that the moment he fell asleep, someone stepped on the wild grass and silently approached him from behind.
Everyone was busy resting and healing, including Xu Mu himself.
No one noticed him.
Thus, Fang Jia's face showed a sinister smile.
Standing behind Xu Mu, he looked at the youth's back of the head and slowly extended a hand!
…