Chapter 1222 - Unprecedented Quasi-Immortal

The two brothers exchanged a glance before turning their gaze to Xinghuanzi. Noticing that although Xinghuanzi's expression remained unchanged, he chose to turn his back on the meteorite where Xu Qing was, effectively standing guard for him, the two brothers immediately perked up. In an instant, their sword aura soared into the sky. They transformed into two ancient immortal swords, gleaming in the starry expanse, pointing in all directions, embodying a loyal guardian's stance. This scene caused Zhou Zhengli to smile, his eyes filled with admiration and warmth. As for Xie Lingzi, he let out a cold snort in his heart, thinking that these two swords must have practiced themselves into foolishness. He wondered how such people could be taken as disciples by a Lesser Immortal and even reach the same heights as himself. Although he was internally scoffing, when he noticed Zhou Zhengli looking his way, Xie Lingzi squinted his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then decided to close them. Seeing this, Zhou Zhengli continued to smile, his gaze sweeping over to Far Mountain Su. In his heart, Zhou Zhengli actually valued Far Mountain Su greatly. Though she didn't seem to have a strong presence, unlike Xie Lingzi and Xinghuanzi, her combat power was by no means ordinary. Whether from past knowledge or her performance in the Aurora Immortal Palace's reflection, it all indicated that she was not simple. In fact, if one were to deduce the events of the Aurora Immortal Palace, it could be found that, not counting Xu Qing, she was the last one standing. Especially since... she was a female cultivator... a beautiful female cultivator. In Zhou Zhengli's eyes, such a person might indeed have the potential to become a true phoenix. Therefore, his gaze carried a trace of respect. Far Mountain Su remained silent, choosing to stand guard. Only then did Zhou Zhengli withdraw his gaze, and seeing the stance of these most formidable ones, the other cultivators, having come to some degree of acceptance of Xu Qing after all these events, quickly suppressed any lingering thoughts. They too stood guard. Thus, time passed. The immortal aura emanating from Xu Qing grew stronger and stronger, eventually spreading across the starry sky, resonating with the cosmic laws he drew in. At the same time, his Immortal Embryo, like a Dharma Aspect, manifested externally. It stretched a full hundred zhang, comparable to divine beings. Sitting cross-legged on the meteorite, it was vast and imposing. A terrifying aura erupted, shaking everything, forming a storm in the starry sky, sweeping in all directions with a thunderous roar. The surrounding cultivators immediately retreated, avoiding the storm while closely observing. The ascension of a Sovereign to Quasi-Immortal has always been a grand event since ancient times. After all, a Quasi-Immortal... is still an Immortal! With the word 'Immortal,' it is destined to be extraordinary. Therefore, although most of the people here have ample understanding of the Sovereign's ascension, they are still watching intently at this moment. Because... through observing a cultivator's ascension to Quasi-Immortal, one can roughly judge how far their future path might extend. Although not absolute, it at least provides a range. "The key to ascending to Quasi-Immortal is the nine releases and establishing an Immortal Foundation!" Xinghuanzi sensed Xu Qing's ascension, his expression carrying a hint of scrutiny. He wanted to see how this Xu Qing, who had made him taste defeat for the first time within the Immortal Capital and even slain his former self, would fare in the process of ascending to Quasi-Immortal. "Nine releases is the extreme, how many can he achieve?" As Xinghuanzi pondered, the same speculation arose in the hearts of everyone present. Especially Zhou Zhengli. He could be said to be the most concerned among them. Noticing the thoughts of the crowd, Xie Lingzi suddenly spoke up. "Ladies and gentlemen, why don't we place a bet on how many releases Xu Qing can achieve? Zhou Zhengli, since you hold him in such high regard, will you wager or not?" The expressions of the others varied, and Xie Lingzi blinked and laughed. "Though I have yet to advance, I understand that when a Sovereign breaks through to become a Quasi-Immortal, it is necessary to externalize one's Immortal Embryo. Ordinary Quasi-Immortals can only externalize it three times; those who reach five are rare, and those who can achieve seven are truly prodigious." "As for eight, they are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. And nine... anyone who completes it must surely be a Lesser Immortal!" "I wonder, Far Mountain Daoist friend, how many times have you externalized?" Xie Lingzi looked at Far Mountain Su. "Eight," Far Mountain Su replied lightly. Xie Lingzi smiled at the response, then turned his gaze to Xinghuanzi, who paid no mind. Xie Lingzi didn't care, turning instead to exchange a glance with Zhou Zhengli. "Naturally, it's nine," Zhou Zhengli said with a smile. "Let's wait and see," Xie Lingzi chuckled. At the side, Li Mengtu furrowed his brow at this but then seemed to ponder something, casting a glance at Zhou Zhengli before suddenly speaking. "In comparison to how many externalizations, the most important thing is actually that single Immortal Foundation!" "The externalizations determine the richness of the Immortal Embryo, while the Immortal Foundation decides how far the immortal path will extend! Every person advancing to Quasi-Immortal needs an Immortal Foundation as the cornerstone for becoming a true immortal later on!" "This foundation cannot be ethereal; it must be substantial. Thus, it cannot be shaped by one's own constitution. Some are well-prepared, but others plot for something greater... I wonder what Xu Qing's Immortal Foundation is." Li Mengtu's words echoed across the starry sky. Upon hearing them, everyone fell into contemplation. For them, this final Immortal Foundation was crucial to their future, naturally of utmost importance. Even Xinghuanzi, who did not participate in the discussions and wagers, couldn't help but recall his own ascension as he watched Xu Qing in the distant storm. Back then, he could have reached nine releases, but his conflict with Xu Qing prevented him from completing it in the fifth layer of the world. In the end, he had to ascend outside, reaching eight releases with difficulty. Although he ultimately achieved the final release through death and rebirth, perfecting his own Immortal Foundation, the memories still stirred his heart. "However, the main reason I chose the fifth layer was not entirely to utilize its environment to reach nine releases. My goal was the final Immortal Foundation." "I chose the path of the Fourth True Monarch, so in the fifth layer, I found his remains and incorporated them as my own Immortal Foundation." "What will Xu Qing's Immortal Foundation be?" Xinghuanzi thought of the bell Xu Qing used in previous battles, and that sharp iron spike... Meanwhile, Thousand Army and Expel, their swords trembling, quietly backed away a bit, then, feeling it was still not safe, retreated further. Suddenly, they felt a twinge of fear. At the moment they retreated, Xu Qing, sitting cross-legged on the meteorite at the storm's center surrounded by everyone, his body suddenly erupted with a deafening roar. The sound spread in all directions, and his hundred-zhang Immortal Embryo, identical to himself, suddenly burst with light. "It's starting!" Li Mengtu felt anticipation in his heart, and everyone gazed intently. In the next instant, the light became blinding, and within Xu Qing's hundred-zhang Immortal Embryo, an overwhelming force seemed to explode outward terrifyingly. The thunderous sound was earth-shattering. His hundred-zhang Immortal Embryo expanded tenfold, reaching a size of a thousand zhang, and the aura it emitted shook the surroundings, its overwhelming pressure making one's heart palpitate. This was the first release! It didn't end there. Immediately, the thousand-zhang Immortal Embryo roared once more, with even more terrifying fluctuations rising, its size expanding another tenfold to ten thousand zhang! Then came the third release, a hundred thousand zhang! After that, the fourth release, a million zhang! It continued, with the subsequent force not diminishing but growing even stronger and more concentrated. In the next moment, the colossal body of ten million zhang was enough to instill a fear of massive objects in many people. "Xu Qing's external release is tenfold! "Tenfold... Generally speaking, it's only two or three times, but he has achieved such a feat!" "And now, it's already the fifth release!" "Though it's the fifth release, it seems to have surpassed the limits of many Quasi-Immortals!" The crowd's thoughts soared... Yet the outpouring continued! In an instant, the sixth release erupted, forming a colossal figure that stretched billions of zhang. This was enough to reveal Xu Qing's profound foundation. The crowd retreated, and as they looked on, Xu Qing's Immortal Embryo truly appeared like a divine being, sitting cross-legged in the starry sky, exuding a sense of holiness that resonated with their spirits, compelling them to tremble involuntarily. Until the seventh release, which surged forth with a mighty roar. The eighth release came in a fleeting moment. A hundred billion zhang body! Although its size was still not comparable to a galaxy, the stars surrounding it seemed as tiny as grains of rice. As for those who had ascended, they had long since retreated to an infinite distance, gazing from afar at Xu Qing's Immortal Embryo in the starry sky, each of them experiencing intense fluctuations in their spirits. Xie Lingzi was already dumbfounded. Zhou Zhengli was excited, with a strong gleam in his eyes. Xinghuanzi remained relatively composed, but his pupils had contracted. Far Mountain Su was silent. As for the others, a storm raged within their hearts at this moment. As everyone witnessed varying degrees of shock, Xu Qing's external aura paused for a moment. But it was just a brief moment, then... a thunderous roar that seemed to split heaven and earth erupted across the starry sky. Xu Qing's already terrifying Immortal Embryo manifested once more! The ninth release! The starry sky darkened. A colossal figure, comparable in size to a galaxy, stood towering in the cosmos. The stars around it were no longer the size of grains of rice but mere specks of dust. Many among the crowd were left in a daze. Until the next instant, this Immortal Embryo, as vast as a galaxy, shrank swiftly, so fast that afterimages appeared in the starry sky. Ultimately, the Immortal Embryo returned to its normal size, merging seamlessly with Xu Qing's true form, indistinguishable from one another. This was its true appearance, while the external release... was the range of the Immortal Embryo's power. In other words, at this moment, Xu Qing's divine sense... was as vast as a galaxy. "Unprecedented..." Xinghuanzi murmured, his scalp tingling. Others were similarly stupefied. "No, under normal circumstances, this is absolutely impossible. Such a tenfold external release... and reaching its zenith, there is no record of this in the annals!" "Even with Xu Qing's profound foundation, achieving this is impossible! "This has already surpassed the realm of normalcy!" "There must be other causations!" Xinghuanzi, once the foremost star and hailing from the Star Ring Tower, possessed an insight far from ordinary. In the brief moment of his distraction, he immediately sensed the anomaly. He acknowledged the disparity but did not believe it could be so vast! In the next instant, a conjecture suddenly emerged in his mind, causing his spirit to quiver, and he sharply turned to gaze at Zhou Zhengli. Xie Lingzi also reacted, and Far Mountain Su and others felt a surge within, all eyes converging on Zhou Zhengli. They recalled the words Zhou Zhengli had spoken! At this moment, Zhou Zhengli was exhilarated. "That is because here... is the Aurora Beyond Heavens!" "That is because he shares a profound causation with the Aurora Beyond Heavens. Someone... once gifted this Beyond Heavens to him!" "Therefore... it is this masterless Beyond Heavens that is rejoicing!" ... At this very moment, in the Fourth Star Ring, amidst this domain suffused with divine beings, a peculiar vessel drifted across the starry sky. The vessel was extraordinary, capable of isolating the thoughts of divine beings, and the two individuals aboard were themselves cultivators of astonishing prowess, so as long as they were cautious, they would be unharmed in this Fourth Star Ring. "He has acquired it." A gentle voice resonated within the vessel. The speaker was the Young Lord of Aurora, and the woman beside him was his wife, the Linghuang Fairy. Upon hearing her husband's words, Linghuang Fairy smiled. "At that time, I could tell that what you gave him was not merely an Immortal Palace." The Young Lord of Aurora gazed at his wife beside him, love filling his eyes. "Such a great favor, how could one Immortal Palace suffice? I also bestowed upon him that realm beyond the heavens."