Chapter Nineteen: The Plot of the Black Moon

"Attack," the Third Young Master said respectfully, his expression cold as he gazed at the commander of the Fire Qilin Army, Fire Qilin, a Divine King at the Grand Completion stage.

Seated in the commander's seat, Fire Qilin nodded slightly upon hearing the Third Young Master's words, then sternly ordered his adjutant, "Attack!"

A blaze of fire shot skyward as a banner adorned with the fierce image of a Fire Qilin unfurled, fluttering in the wind.

"Attack!" Officers at all levels, seeing the Fire Qilin banner rise, promptly relayed the command downward.

The Fire Qilin Army divided into four divisions, encircling God of Food Mountain. After receiving their orders, they began their assault.

"Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Above each of the four divisions, a seven-thousand-foot Fire Qilin materialized, wreathed in flames capable of incinerating all things, charging toward God of Food Mountain.

Suddenly, a profound black barrier appeared out of thin air around the mountain, shielding it.

The four menacing Fire Qilins simultaneously unleashed blazing columns of fire, each seven thousand feet long, toward the black barrier.

Upon contact, the fire columns were swallowed whole by the black barrier.

If not for the lingering traces of scorched space left by the attack, all living beings would have believed no battle had occurred at all.

"The God-Eater Hall's Devouring Divine Realm truly lives up to its reputation, actually withstanding the combined assault of four Fire Qilins at the Grand Completion Divine King stage," Fire Qilin remarked, seated in his commander's seat. Seeing the army's attack thwarted, he showed no anger, but instead gazed appreciatively at the black Devouring Divine Realm.

The other Fire Qilin Divine Generals stood silently, not daring to interject.

The Third Young Master, witnessing the failed attack, felt neither anxious nor enraged, but calmly awaited Marshal Fire Qilin's next command.

This was the second lesson he had learned in the Fire Qilin Army: always maintain patience.

Though Fire Qilin admired the opponent's defense, he showed no mercy. With authority, he commanded, "Combine all four. Continue the attack."

"Roar!"

Three Fire Qilins, treading fiery clouds, rushed toward the fourth in the center, merging into it.

"Roar!"

The single Fire Qilin swelled to nine thousand feet, standing upon flames that melted the surrounding space. Its body radiated a scorching, overwhelming inferno.

The nine-thousand-foot Fire Qilin threw its head back and let out a thunderous roar, spewing a pillar of blazing crimson flames nine thousand feet long at the black barrier.

Unlike the previous attacks, which merely scorched the space, this crimson flame pillar melted everything along its path.

The pillar struck directly at the black Devouring Barrier.

The Devouring Divine Realm opened its dark maw, attempting to engulf the raging crimson flames.

Though the flame pillar surged with immense power, it could not breach the barrier instantly. Likewise, the Devouring Divine Realm could not fully consume the flames.

Red light and darkness entwined, neither side gaining the upper hand.

Yet, as time passed, the black Devouring Divine Realm slowly began to show traces of red—it was clearly at a disadvantage.

"Excellent!" The Fire Qilin Divine Generals shouted in unison, elated by their army's effective attack.

The Third Young Master, observing the advantage gained, allowed a cold smile to creep across his handsome, pale face.

Black Moon watched the war between the Fire Qilin Army and God-Eater Hall expressionlessly, but his thoughts had already drifted to the Unyielding Divine Mountain. He mused silently, "The Seventh Elder and the others should have captured Nan Luo by now, shouldn't they?"

To capture Nan Luo, the Grand Elder of the Xuanming Black Serpent Clan not only dispatched the Seventh Elder and over a hundred Divine Kings, but also sent Black Moon to mislead the Grand Elder of the Qilin Clan.

Like the Grand Elder of the Xuanming Black Serpent Clan, the Grand Elder of the Qilin Clan had been trapped at the Grand Completion stage for countless years, yearning desperately to break through.

Nan Luo, an innate divine demon, represented precisely the opportunity the Qilin Clan's Grand Elder needed to advance.

After Black Moon helped the Seventh Elder and others pinpoint Nan Luo's true location, he carried the token granted by his clan's Grand Elder and sought an audience with the Qilin Clan's Grand Elder.

Qilin Clan, Fire Qilin Hall.

"I wonder what that old fellow Black Earth sent you for?" the Grand Elder, Qilin Fire, sat upon his throne, gazing calmly at Black Moon below.

"I bring you an opportunity," Black Moon replied respectfully and calmly.

Qilin Fire sneered slightly, not believing Black Moon's words. He thought to himself, "That cunning old Black Earth would never simply hand me an opportunity. There's surely trickery involved!"

"Oh? What kind of opportunity?" Qilin Fire asked impassively.

Shrouded in divine radiance, Qilin Fire's expression was unreadable. Black Moon answered with unwavering respect, "An innate divine demon."

"Tell me more," Qilin Fire's heart was startled, though his face remained perfectly composed.

Black Moon raised his hand and pointed to the air above the hall, conjuring an image of Nan Luo. He spoke evenly, "This is the divine demon. He is vicious and ruthless, having massacred a region in the Northern Sea and been hunted throughout the area."

Qilin Fire quietly transmitted the image to his subordinates, instructing them to gather information on Nan Luo.

"Now, this demon has fled to the Central Wilderness. Thus, I ask the Qilin Clan, overlords of the region, to eradicate him," Black Moon continued, still calm and deferential.

Qilin Fire gazed at Black Moon in silence, only speaking once his subordinates confirmed Nan Luo's identity. "Black Earth is offering me such a great opportunity. What does he want in return?"

Hearing this, Black Moon pleaded with excitement, "A supreme innate spirit treasure is about to emerge from Unyielding Divine Mountain. The Grand Elder of Black Earth hopes the Qilin Clan will support our Xuanming Black Serpent Clan in claiming it."

"So that's it! No wonder over a hundred Divine Kings from the Xuanming Black Serpent Clan have appeared," Qilin Fire mused inwardly.

"A supreme innate spirit treasure in exchange for an innate divine demon—it's a fair trade. But what if this is a trick?" Qilin Fire thought, still uneasy.

He then asked sternly, "How did you find this divine demon named Nan Luo?"

"Grand Elder, please look," Black Moon produced the black Soul-Chasing Cup bestowed by Black Earth.

"I once escaped from Nan Luo's hands, so I recognize him. Using this cup, I locked onto his whereabouts," Black Moon answered deferentially.

Qilin Fire inspected the Soul-Chasing Cup and Black Moon, thinking, "This one is ruthless, risking soul extinction to hunt Nan Luo. But with the cup, his location should be genuine—no tricks from these serpents."

"Very well! I accept the deal. But you must accompany the Qilin Clan's divine army to hunt Nan Luo," Qilin Fire decreed sternly.

"Yes!" Black Moon replied, respectful and calm.

Nan Luo's true self had long departed for Unyielding Divine Mountain, but his avatar, together with the Three Spirits, returned to the God-Eater Hall.

When Black Moon used the Soul-Chasing Cup to search for Nan Luo, he actually found two locations.

He chose to display only the avatar's position, thus deceiving the vigilant Qilin Clan.

Soon, Black Moon led the Qilin Clan's army to the God-Eater Hall.

He knew that if the Fire Qilin Army broke through the hall and failed to find Nan Luo, it would spell his doom.

Yet, for the benefit of the Xuanming Black Serpent Clan, with his soul on the verge of extinction, Black Moon no longer feared the Qilin Clan's threats.

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