The Chiming Divine Son stared blankly ahead. The Crimson Emperor’s Brain, which should have shone with flowing light and contained his endless thoughts and insights, had gone dark!
This massive brain, spanning several acres, no longer flickered with light but was plunged into darkness—without a trace of brightness, proving the Crimson Emperor’s consciousness was gone!
The Crimson Emperor’s mind was no longer here—where else could it be?
He suddenly spun around, leapt to his feet, and strode out of the hall with a dark expression.
"Thief..."
Murderous intent rolling off him, the Chiming Divine Son hadn’t even left the sacred hall when the sky outside filled with storm clouds. Wind, rain, and thunder raged; bolts of lightning split the dark heavens, crackling down from the oppressive clouds.
When the Divine Son was enraged, it was no small matter—he truly made the heavens change color!
But as he reached the hall’s threshold, his chaotic mind gradually calmed; the thunder dwindled, the wind and rain faded, and the dark clouds slowly dispersed.
"Even I couldn’t escape the Crimson Emperor’s Thought Maze—so why didn’t he fall into it?"
He hesitated, his foot suspended. "Crimson Emperor’s mind is so vast even I can’t bear it—yet he could. For fifty thousand years, Crimson’s thought stayed here, and no clansman ever received its recognition. Why did he gain Crimson’s approval? And why did Crimson leave his mind behind? Why can’t even I grasp the knowledge hidden within?"
His foot still hung there, his face shifting between shadow and light. Outside, the sky churned—sometimes clear, sometimes stormy, sometimes cloudless, sometimes split by lightning.
Adrian Chime struggled inwardly. Crimson Emperor’s mind was left behind; it must not fall into outsiders’ hands! Yet now it was gone—did that mean Crimson had chosen Quinn? Or was there some deeper meaning?
Quinn, Everpeace's Grand Sacrificer, doesn’t represent Chiming!
His resolve set, Adrian’s foot finally landed, making the sacred mountain and hall tremble lightly twice.
Meanwhile, Quinn was beside the First Ancestor, checking his condition. The First Human Emperor was unconscious, likely struck down by the overwhelming force of Crimson’s mind when he touched it—his brain simply couldn’t handle it, so he blacked out.
"This isn’t a true injury—a bit of rest will fix it. But what’s strange is, why didn’t I get knocked out by Crimson’s mind too...?"
Just as Quinn thought this, he saw the sky shift colors and was startled. He hurried to drag the First Ancestor, but the Ancestor was a god—at Execution Platform level, a realm where a single move can execute deities. There was no way Quinn could move him.
Clouds churned overhead, and Quinn’s own face mirrored the shifting sky—now bright, now shadowed. The weather reflected Adrian’s mood: clear meant no killing intent, cloudy meant murderous rage. The ever-changing sky showed Adrian locked in inner conflict, weighing whether to kill Quinn over the loss of Crimson’s mind.
Crimson Emperor’s mind is vital to the Chiming remnant. After weighing the pros and cons, Adrian Chime is sure to be tempted to kill!
Quinn kept trying to drag the First Ancestor, but couldn’t budge him. Just then, the Ancestor’s right index finger twitched slightly, making Quinn pause in surprise.
The First Ancestor’s eyes remained shut, his body utterly still.
Thump.
Adrian Chime’s footsteps landed, making the mountain tremble. Quinn rose, smiling, and said, "You invited us into the sacred hall to touch Crimson’s mind—clearly with ill intent. Now my First Ancestor is unconscious thanks to you."
Adrian’s face remained indifferent. "It’s my fault. I truly did hope you’d get trapped in the Thought Maze and never escape."
Quinn’s heart tightened. Adrian’s confession meant his mind was made up—he wouldn’t let Quinn go!
Adrian Chime was a man of supreme intellect, but he had a habit: whenever he entertained dark thoughts, he’d reveal a secret.
When they entered the sacred hall, he’d revealed his identity’s secret to Quinn and the First Ancestor; then the Ancestor fell unconscious and Quinn nearly got trapped in Crimson’s Thought Maze.
Now, exposing his intentions again was another secret—always a sign he was about to kill.
"If Grand Sacrificial Wine Quinn hands over Crimson Emperor’s mind, I’ll let bygones be bygones," Adrian said coldly.
Quinn was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "You’re this reasonable? Honestly, I have no idea why Crimson’s Brain went dark, let alone how to hand over Crimson’s thought. If you know, please enlighten me."
Adrian Chime replied softly, "The Crimson Emperor’s Brain is a vessel for his thought. When his thought leaves it, the light goes out. Now, Crimson’s thought has entered your mind."
Quinn turned his thoughts inward; sure enough, his mind was full of strange images and sounds. But there was no way it could hold all of Crimson’s thought. He laughed, "I do have some odd visions and voices in my head, but how would I even return Crimson’s thought? I’ve never heard of any technique for extracting thoughts from the brain. If you know how, please enlighten me."
Adrian’s stiff face forced out a smile. "It’s simple. Crimson’s thought can’t be destroyed—he’s too strong. Even if the host is destroyed, his thought survives. So the easiest way is to cut off the host’s head and smash it open—Crimson’s thought will show itself."
He continued solemnly, "Then I’ll take Crimson’s thought and return it to the Brain. Quinn, how would you like to be buried? I can give you a grand funeral fit for a king or noble. I’ll even forge you a lifelike head from the finest divine metal."
Quinn’s face went pale as he retreated step by step, forcing a smile. "You’re joking, right? I don’t think Crimson’s thought is in my head—if it was, I’d already be another Crimson Emperor. Seriously, think this through..."
Adrian’s purple robe fluttered as he spoke with utter seriousness, "This is the best method I can think of. You’re welcome to try escaping—as far as you like—but do you really think you can get out of the Hanging Realm? You might as well stand still and let me take your head."
Quinn spun around and bolted, sprinting down the mountain at full speed.
Adrian’s face was cold as the eyelids of his third eye at his brow slowly parted. He sighed, "How can someone so clever act so foolishly at the brink of death? I suppose everyone is stupid before dying."
Divine light swirled in Adrian’s third eye and shot out. The instant it did, the First Human Emperor leapt up, thrusting the Jadebright Sword straight into the third eye!
Adrian cried out in pain. Crystalline fluid and blood streamed from his brow’s third eye. Suddenly, two more heads burst out from beneath his purple-red robe, and four extra arms sprouted from his sides. All six arms, brimming with terrifying power, smashed toward the Ancestor!
The Ancestor didn’t dodge. The instant his sword pierced Adrian’s third eye, he abandoned it, crossing his hands in a Heaven-and-Earth Seal. He let Adrian’s attack land, unleashing the first form of the Heaven-Collapse Three Forms: ‘Heaven Overturns, Earth-Bonds Severed.’ The full force exploded onto Adrian!
The two struck each other almost simultaneously. Bones snapped inside the Ancestor; ribs burst through his back, piercing flesh and clothes. His face twisted, jaw broken, as he was sent flying—faster than Quinn running down the mountain—and crashed to earth before Quinn, gouging out a massive crater.
Nearby palaces and temples collapsed one after another, tumbling into the giant pit.
Meanwhile, atop the sacred mountain, Adrian’s body twisted grotesquely. His waist folded like a paper doll, the central neck of his three snapped, and his head flopped backward.
Boom—
His body slammed into the sacred hall. An earth-shattering crash rang out; the rear wall exploded, rubble flying everywhere. In a flash, Adrian’s twisted form shot out, streaking across the sky in a straight line.
The stone steps beneath Quinn’s feet kept collapsing, tumbling into the crater. He leapt downward, bounding from shattered stair to stair, swiftly reaching the pit’s bottom.
The First Human Emperor lay sprawled, limbs akimbo, his face twisted in agony. "He’s stronger than me, higher realm, and has three heads—I only managed to destroy one. Run!" he rasped.
Quinn tried to lift him, but the Ancestor roared, "All twelve of my ribs are broken—only my spine’s left! I can’t fight anymore, just go!"
"Where could you even run?"
Quinn shook his head. "Chiming Era’s techniques are all about physical creation. Broken bones can regrow—heck, you could sprout two heads or four arms. With Creation Divine Arts, you could regrow your ribs. See, this is why I studied the Creation Divine Wheel. You were all bitter about it—never said anything, but I know you secretly grumbled that I didn’t learn your seals…"
The Ancestor erupted in fury, lying motionless. "You’re babbling at a time like this? Get lost! Just go!"
Quinn grinned, "It’s not like I can escape the Hanging Realm—where would I go?"
He couldn’t move the First Ancestor, so he gave up, pulled out the Execution Divine Blade, snapped the little box shut, and stared up at the sacred mountain’s summit.
Swish—
A streak of light shot back—Adrian Chime returned to the sacred hall atop the mountain. His central head still lolled backward, blood pouring from his mouth along with shards of bone—his neck had been broken.
After spitting out the bone fragments, Adrian’s central neck slowly straightened, his head rising upright again. The wounds on his neck healed at astonishing speed.
Chiming Era truly mastered the arts of bodily creation—an achievement to be envied!
Quinn was fascinated by the Creation Divine Wheel not only because of its near-invincible power, but also by the strength of these arts of bodily creation.
Fragments of bone slid out from Adrian’s waist wound, one after another. He was badly hurt—the First Human Emperor had caught him off-guard and, despite being a realm lower, dealt a grievous blow. Any other god would be dead or ruined, but for Adrian, the wounds were manageable.
His spirit and divine storehouses were also gravely injured, but compared to the First Human Emperor, Adrian had already won.
"The Execution Divine Blade in your hands poses no threat to a god of my Jade Capital realm."
From afar, Adrian raised his palm; the earth heaved, lifting Quinn and the First Human Emperor atop a stone pillar that spun, turning Quinn’s back toward him.
Quinn tried to turn around, but no matter how fast or often he moved, he always ended up with his back to Adrian!
He couldn’t aim the Execution Divine Blade at Adrian at all!
Sweat beaded Quinn’s brow. The Execution Divine Blade was his greatest trump card, but now it was useless!
Adrian had neutralized the Execution Divine Blade with the simplest method!
All around, gods of the Hanging Realm flew over. Seeing this, they hesitated, not daring to approach.
Suddenly, Quinn dropped the Execution Divine Blade, jabbed his brow, and shouted, "The other me—come out!"
His vertical brow-eye didn’t respond at all—he just ended up poking himself painfully.
Quinn shouted, "Unseal!"
Still no response from his brow.
"Fenix?" Quinn tried tentatively.
Still nothing happened.
Quinn blinked, then snapped, "Whenever I don’t need you, you pop out and make trouble. But now I actually need you, you ignore me! What use are you?"
Deep within his third eye, inside the Qin Continent’s seal, the three-eyed giant infant Fenix looked terrified. On his neck, another head had sprouted—a head completely different from Quinn’s childhood face!
Crimson Emperor’s head.
The giant infant stood up; the white-robed, white-haired elder beneath him immediately fled. The infant raised his chubby fists and hammered away at the head on his neck.
After a barrage of blows, a dignified middle-aged emperor was beaten out of his body—though now battered and bruised, groveling on the ground.
The middle-aged emperor, shocked and enraged, sprang up to counterattack—then froze in alarm at his surroundings.
"Heaven Lord, Great Brahma, and the Earth Lord’s seal! Where is this? How did I end up here?"