Chapter 1135: Immortal Palace Opens

Chapter 1140: The Immortal Palace Opens

At that instant, his gaze swept across the area, and the being, whose power in the Southern Starfield was second only to the Eight Great Stars, immediately recognized Xu Qing! Memories of his past pursuit, where Xu Qing had escaped into the ferry boat, instantly flooded his mind. Yet, in the very next moment, disbelief washed over him, like a thunderclap erupting in his mind and a furious storm raging in his heart.

He could distinctly sense that Xu Qing was different!

He could not perceive the Constitution, nor could he comprehend or understand it, but his spiritual awareness, honed by his cultivation, immediately triggered an indescribably intense sense of life-or-death peril the moment he looked. This feeling of peril was more acute than any mere prickling sensation on his back. Consequently, it wasn't just his footsteps that froze. His heartbeat, his sea of consciousness, and his very thoughts all halted. At that moment, it was as if he faced his ultimate predator. His expression contorted instantly.

Xu Qing, however, remained impassive. The chilling intent in his eyes alone distorted space, rippled through time, and sealed spacetime.

His conflict with Li Mengtu was a dispute over the Great Dao; Li Mengtu had acted honorably. Moreover, killing Li Mengtu would have consequences, potentially allowing his own path to be leveraged, and Xu Qing's Spacetime Constitution was linked to the karma of Li Mengtu's ancestors. Considering all these factors, Xu Qing ultimately decided against it.

But this red-haired youth was different. And so, his killing intent flared, and spacetime unfolded.

The world blurred, and all things distorted. As Xu Qing's spacetime consciousness expanded, he remained seated cross-legged, yet a profound shadow seemed to descend upon this very spacetime. The red-haired youth's momentary halt seemed to stretch into eternity, and everything in Xu Qing's vision became startlingly clear. It was as if the scene had been rendered into a painting. Whether past or future, everything was seen with absolute clarity.

Then, Xu Qing raised his hand and gently prodded. It was as if someone from outside a painting had reached in to poke it, tearing a hole in the canvas and causing the depicted person, along with their surroundings, to crumble into fragments. In reality, the space around the red-haired youth instantly collapsed, and time became chaotic in a flash. His body, in that very instant, was directly suppressed by an indescribably vast power that far exceeded his capacity. His soul, unable to escape, let out a piercing wail. No matter how he tried, how he struggled, or how he unleashed his power, he found himself utterly unable to dodge or resist! He was on the verge of complete annihilation, body and soul.

Just then, Jiang Fan, also from the Southern Domain, raised his head and gave a light cough. "Fellow Daoist, why such aggression? If there's an issue, perhaps we can discuss it. There's no need to resort to harming others with your Constitution the moment we meet."

As he spoke, a shroud of mist materialized out of thin air around the red-haired youth, completely enveloping him and obscuring everything. It was as if the canvas had been painted black.

Those who did not possess a Constitution could not perceive this scene. Only those with a Constitution could discern the true nature of the mist that obscured the red-haired youth. This mist was extraordinary, imbued with the power of a Constitution. It rendered Xu Qing unable to 'perceive' his target.

This was precisely the essence of obscurity: when the earth's vital energy rises but heaven does not respond, mist forms, and mist is called obscurity. Jiang Fan's Constitution was Obscurity, manifesting as mist. Shielded by this obscure mist, the red-haired youth seemed to cease to exist, as if he had been plucked clean from Xu Qing's Spacetime Constitution.

Only a Constitution could counter a Constitution! This marked Xu Qing's first personal experience of a direct clash between Constitutions.

The mist rippled, imbued with secrecy, concealed lethal intent, and harbored death, radiating a dread that would make any outsider's heart tremble. Yet, in Xu Qing's perception, although this Obscurity Mist Constitution was impressive and peculiar, it felt somewhat insubstantial.

Thus, Xu Qing remained seated cross-legged, his voice calm. "This time is my space; this space is my time. Disperse!"

As he uttered these words, Xu Qing raised his hand, disregarding the pervasive obscure mist, and reached out to seize the area where the mist resided. With that grasp, the spacetime immediately erupted with violent fluctuations. These fluctuations originated from the past, causing the past to collapse, the future to dissolve into foam, and the present to turn to dust. Spacetime was impacted accordingly, with ripples emanating from various points in time. These ripples converged, ultimately forming... a spacetime storm.

As the storm raged, Jiang Fan's obscure mist held on for only a few breaths before it could no longer sustain itself and abruptly dispersed. The mist formed only when the earth's vital energy rose but heaven did not respond. If heaven were to respond, this mist could not endure!

Thus, the previously obscured red-haired youth reappeared. He remained precisely within Xu Qing's spacetime, utterly unchanged. And as Jiang Fan's obscure mist dissipated, Xu Qing's raised hand, now unimpeded, descended. He seized the red-haired youth's past, future, and present! And crushed them fiercely!

A cracking sound, imperceptible yet resonant, echoed faintly in the ears of all present. The red-haired youth's entire body trembled. His defiant thoughts solidified into eternity, while his despairing emotions dissolved into nothingness. His past, everything that had ever existed, utterly collapsed and shattered in that instant. His future, all that was yet to unfold, instantly fragmented and completely annihilated. Only his present form remained, isolated and alone in this spacetime. But without the support of the past and the guidance of the future, this present moment... became like a tree without roots. It could not endure.

Thus, before the eyes of all, the red-haired youth's body and even his soul silently disintegrated, fracturing into countless pieces, and as they drifted down, they became mere dust. A breeze swept through, scattering him into oblivion.

Silence descended upon the surroundings. The cultivators present who did not possess a Constitution felt their minds tremble. This was a slaughter they could not comprehend, understand, or even recognize. Yet, it once again brought home the terrifying power of a Constitution. Fortunately, among all the Dominator realm cultivators throughout the Fifth Star Ring, those who possessed a Constitution or a Constitutional Treasure were exceptionally rare.

Amidst the crowd's silence, Jiang Fan narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Xu Qing. His earlier intervention was not due to any profound friendship with the red-haired youth; in truth, they were merely casual acquaintances. His primary motivation for acting was their shared origin from the Southern Domain. Had he not perceived it, it would have been different, but to witness a Southern Domain cultivator being slaughtered right before his eyes would displease him greatly.

However, Xu Qing's Constitution... instilled a sense of apprehension in him. He had never heard of such a formidable figure emerging from the Western Domain. Furthermore, he recalled witnessing Li Mengtu pay his respects to Xu Qing earlier. He fell into contemplation. Beside him, Yuan Shan Su also gazed at Xu Qing, her eyes gleaming with peculiar light. Her Constitution was Distant Mountains, embodying weight.

Unfazed by their scrutiny, Xu Qing remained impassively seated in meditation. However, Li Mengtu, seated beside him, now fixed a sharp, cold gaze upon Jiang Fan and Yuan Shan Su, his position clearly articulated in his eyes.

Thus, Jiang Fan, who was already apprehensive, slowly allowed a gentle smile to spread across his face. As if he hadn't intervened at all, he spoke with a mild expression. "Fellow Daoist, your Constitution is truly extraordinary." Having spoken, he closed his eyes.

As for Yuan Shan Su, she too smiled. In her gaze towards Xu Qing, beyond the inherent weight of her Constitution, there was also a hint of intrigued interest. Xu Qing disregarded their reactions.

This scene filled others with awe, but for the Earth Spirit Patriarch, it was a profound jolt. Compared to the Eight Great Stars, the Earth Spirit Patriarch knew in his heart that his status and position were vastly inferior. Even though he couldn't perceive the battle between Constitutions directly, his proximity granted him a more intuitive understanding than others. At that very moment, a sense of profound relief welled up within him. He was fortunate that he had not made a move against Xu Qing back in the Time Desert. Otherwise...

The Earth Spirit Patriarch took a deep breath. A sudden thought stirred within him; he realized this might very well be an opportune moment for himself. An opportunity others could only dream of. So, the Earth Spirit Patriarch spoke in a low voice, imbued with deference. "My Lord, I've just recalled another crucial piece of information about this Aurora Immortal Palace..." His form of address had subtly shifted.

Hearing this, Xu Qing looked toward the Earth Spirit Patriarch, awaiting his words.

"My Lord, as I mentioned before, this Aurora Immortal Palace is known to contain eight distinct layers of worlds. The layer one enters is determined by a boundary monument in each layer, which indicates its number. Generally, Dominator-level cultivators enter the third layer and can only reach that level, unless they possess a Constitution or are a Quasi-Immortal. Only then can they access the fourth layer and beyond. This allows them to acquire greater opportunities and fortune. Legend has it that entering the eighth layer offers the chance to achieve the status of a Summer Immortal. This is also why Quasi-Immortals are drawn to this place!

"When the Land of Immortal Demise opens, everyone who enters arrives in the same initial area, which serves as the Immortal Palace's welcoming platform. Everyone must choose their path from this point, and there are three available routes. The first path is straight ahead, where a bridge is said to exist. The second path is to the left, a tranquil small road. As for the right side, it is the third path: a black, seemingly endless river. Throughout history, only these three paths have existed for entering the Aurora Immortal Palace.

"And My Lord, remember, the bridge must not be crossed. Records indicate that five out of every ten who attempt it perish. The path to the left, though also dangerous, has a survival rate of eight out of ten, making it the most optimal choice."

The Earth Spirit Patriarch held nothing back, conveying all the information he knew truthfully.

"And the right?" Xu Qing inquired.

It wasn't the Earth Spirit Patriarch who answered him, but Li Mengtu, who was nearby. "Certain death." After speaking, Li Mengtu looked at Xu Qing. "What he said is indeed true. Of the three paths, only the left side is the safest, but the differences are significant. Taking the small path on the left leads directly to the third layer world; there's no possibility of reaching the first or second layers from there. If you cross the bridge, you'll arrive at the second layer. While it's dangerous, it offers more opportunities and fortune. However, this path does not lead to the first layer. As for the right path, it's the most direct route and leads into the first layer. However, no one has ever been known to survive after taking it."

Xu Qing nodded. Just as he was about to speak, a sudden impulse made him look towards the heart of the plain where the stone monument stood. Spiritual energy surged there, resonating with deafening roars. Amidst the thunderous noise, the spiritual energy pulsed like a tide, turning the area into a vortex of erupting power.

A great wind rose. A spiritual tide appeared. It instantly swept in all directions, engulfing the entire plain. From a distance, the spiritual energy resembled a rising tide, washing over everyone as if they were submerged in an ocean.

Concurrently, a vast and majestic immortal palace gradually emerged upon this spiritual sea. Instantly, myriad hues of iridescent light illuminated the scene, creating a truly magnificent spectacle. Compared to its immense scale, everyone felt utterly tiny, as if they had entered the realm of giants. In the distance, even more figures whistled through the air, rapidly approaching.