Chapter 1191: In the Immortal Capital

This is the most sacred moment of every Immortal Capital Trial!

This is the moment countless cultivators in the Fifth Astral Ring have dreamed of.

Those who successfully qualify will ascend to the Immortal Capital, witnessed by all beings, as if they are ascending to heaven.

Xu Qing's figure walked forward relentlessly on the most magnificent rainbow bridge, ascending step by step.

Behind him, in different locations across the four great star domains, ninety-nine cultivators who had qualified for ascension to the Immortal Capital were also advancing on ninety-nine other rainbow bridges.

At this moment, they were the focus of the four great star domains. At this moment, they were truly the stars.

At this moment, the four great star domains were relatively quiet, with countless gazes converging on the sky.

Even though many could only see a small portion of the sky, for the powerful cultivators in the four great star domains, the most vast rainbow emitted a unique light.

Thus, under the gaze of all beings, the people on the rainbow bridge ascended higher and higher, drawing closer to the celestial aurora, until they finally disappeared into the aurora.

They were bathed in red.

Above the celestial aurora, there was no starry sky, but a vast expanse of mist.

The mist was so immense it seemed to shroud the starry sky.

Only a hundred ancient and weathered square pillars, standing within the mist, were clearly visible!

They formed a trapezoid, with the central one being the tallest, and the ones on either side decreasing in height. Viewed as a whole, they resembled a human figure. All the pillars glowed with seven colors.

They seemed to have existed for countless ages, witnessed innumerable glories, and exuded infinite majesty.

The light they emitted formed numerous rainbow bridges.

These scattered into the aurora below and descended into the four great star domains beneath the aurora, serving as guiding paths visible to all beings.

As for the tallest platform in the very center, the rainbow light it emitted was the most dazzling. Upon it, Xu Qing's figure emerged from within the aurora, stepping onto this rainbow bridge!

Among these hundred cultivators, he was the first to enter and emerge from the aurora.

As the aurora flowed around him and he continued to advance, it was as if he had walked from the bottom of a river to its surface.

The moment he left the 'surface,' Xu Qing saw the boundless mist and the hundred pillars shimmering with seven colors.

He did not pause, stepping forward until he reached the high platform, standing on the central pillar.

He stood there.

Then he turned and looked down.

Below was a vast expanse of aurora, red like a sea.

Within it, ninety-nine rainbow bridges descended, and figures of cultivators were now successively emerging from these bridges, heading towards their respective platforms.

Among the crowd, Xu Qing saw Zhou Zhengli, who offered a humble smile. He saw Xie Lingzi, who slightly lowered his head. He saw Yuanshan Su.

Yuanshan Su avoided Xu Qing's gaze. He saw Li Mengtu.

Li Mengtu's expression was somewhat agitated. He saw Qianjun Pi Yi.

The two brothers, usually proud, instinctively ducked their heads. Xu Qing's gaze swept over them one by one.

Most of them were strangers to him, but among the few familiar figures, Jiang Fan was absent, and in his place was a young man in black!

The young man exuded an aura of order, with chains of starlight wrapped around him. When Xu Qing's gaze fell upon him, the young man's gaze also met his.

Star Ring Child! Xu Qing's heart remained calm.

Xu Qing wasn't too surprised to see these individuals on the rainbow bridges. As for Star Ring Child, Xu Qing had long sensed his recovery. He had previously been meditating outside the Star Ring Tower, but had not appeared.

Therefore, seeing him again now, Xu Qing's mind was unperturbed. He calmly withdrew his gaze after sweeping over him.

Without paying attention to the other cultivators gradually ascending their respective high platforms, Xu Qing raised his head, looking towards the mist above.

He had always felt that the Fifth Astral Ring did not seem very large.

This perception of its size was derived from comparing it to the Wanggu Continent.

Even though the Fifth Astral Ring contained four great star domains—North, South, East, and West—each one was vast, far exceeding the Wanggu Continent.

Moreover, too many cultivators, even if they spent their entire lives flying, would find it difficult to traverse a significant portion of it.

Yet, in Xu Qing's perception, it still felt somewhat small.

According to the star map of the thirty-six ascending astral rings he had seen years ago, every astral ring should be infinitely vast. However, after arriving at the Fifth Astral Ring, things were not as he expected.

Of course, Xu Qing understood that this might be partly related to the Fifth Astral Ring's transformation.

After all, the starry sky is a multi-layered expanse, a space.

And the Fifth Astral Ring, after its transformation, had become a continent, which naturally altered its sensory perception.

Ultimately, these were only partial reasons, and not the primary ones.

So, why was this the case? This was the doubt that lingered in Xu Qing's mind after traversing the four great star domains.

Until this moment...

Standing on this ancient high platform, gazing at the endless mist, Xu Qing's thoughts slowly began to stir.

He had a premonition.

The true Fifth Astral Ring... would be revealed before him.

He looked forward to it.

The other cultivators present also shared his anticipation. Their wait was not long; the moment the last person ascended their platform...

The mist suddenly churned.

An indescribable pressure seemed to permeate the mist, like an invisible hand gently waving.

Then... the dense mist obscuring Xu Qing and the others instantly receded like a tide, scattering in a flash and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

A vast starry sky appeared before their eyes!

This starry sky seemed boundless, containing a gigantic vortex that occupied ninety percent of it.

It appeared motionless, but upon closer perception, it seemed to be rotating.

The high platform where Xu Qing and the others stood was insignificant compared to this colossal vortex.

And within this astonishing vortex that dominated the starry sky, they sensed a multitude of stars, life, and a rich aura of immortal spirits.

But just as everyone's minds were engrossed, suddenly... it was as if a force began to shrink the starry sky.

The vortex rapidly diminished in their eyes!

As it shrank, an even vaster stellar vortex appeared in the starry sky.

The previous vortex was no longer visible; it hadn't disappeared, but it was simply too tiny, merely one hundred-millionth of this new stellar vortex!

Xu Qing's mind reeled.

But it didn't end there. In the next instant, this enormous stellar vortex shrank once more.

Consequently, everyone, including Xu Qing, saw countless astonishing stellar vortices, which in turn converged to form an even larger star map.

More accurately, it was a star domain!

If they had seen this star domain first, its immense size might not have been so apparent.

But after the successive layers of shrinking, looking at this star domain now, 'vast' seemed insufficient to describe it.

Yet, this was still not the end.

In the next moment, this star domain shrank again, and countless similar star domains appeared around it, with these myriad star domains forming a complete universe!

However, as this universe came into view, the starry sky blurred for a moment, and then... countless such universes appeared within everyone's perception.

Amidst their astonishment, these countless universes shrank again. The starry sky roared.

Finally... a colossal figure appeared before their eyes.

It was not a true body, but was composed of countless small galaxies, innumerable large galaxies, countless star domains, and countless universes! Its features were indistinct, but its supreme status was palpable!

Yet, this figure was not the Immortal Venerable of the Fifth Astral Ring!

Because, the moment this colossal figure composed of countless universes appeared, the starry sky shrank once more, and beside this figure, ten equally astonishing figures suddenly emerged! Eleven in total!

Like the Eleven Outer Heavens!

They were the Eleven Immortal Sovereigns of the Fifth Astral Ring! Each one was resplendent.

The moment they manifested, whether it was Xu Qing or the others, tidal waves of emotion surged within the hearts of these hundred prodigies.

Amidst the continuous roar, Xu Qing, his heart stirring, looked towards the eleven figures.

Though the features of one figure were indistinct, Xu Qing's experiences in the Immortal Palace allowed him to instantly recognize its identity!

That was... Immortal Sovereign Jiuan!

Immortal Sovereign Jiuan's figure was somewhat unique compared to the other Immortal Sovereigns. Before him, there was a ring formed by starlight.

The moment he saw this ring, a realization dawned on Xu Qing. It was the Ring of Eras.

Currently... it was the Jiuan Era!

Xu Qing took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and enduring the blinding light, looked towards the other Immortal Sovereigns. He wanted to find... Grandmaster Bai!

Until he saw the ninth figure.

That immense figure appeared to be an old man, though his exact features were indiscernible. However, the medicine pot he held in his hand was incredibly familiar to Xu Qing.

The old man slightly lowered his head, his gaze seemingly falling upon Xu Qing, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Xu Qing also smiled and bowed respectfully.

After Xu Qing's bow, the starry sky blurred once more, and the sense of shrinking returned.

As the Eleven Outer Heavens where the Immortal Sovereigns resided grew smaller and smaller, a far more magnificent figure, radiating supreme divinity and unparalleled majesty, emerged behind them, dominating the entire starry sky.

That was the source of Immortals!

That was the Supreme Being of the Fifth Astral Ring.

That was the Immortal Venerable who had suppressed even God-Venerables!

The Eleven Outer Heavens encircled his body. This was the true Fifth Astral Ring!

After being occupied by cultivators, it was fragmented during its transformation, with almost all its regions being designated as Outer Heavens.

As for the remaining four great star domains—East, West, North, and South—those were the ancestral lands!

They were the places of origin.

Therefore, there was no 'Immortal Capital' as such, because that very place... was the Immortal Capital. It was also the direct lineage territory of the Fifth Astral Ring!

All the killings and all the hardships were to nurture the direct lineage. All were for the future of the Fifth Astral Ring.

Because the cultivators who originated from there were pure and authentic! Their future was burdened with a mission.

As for the beings within the Eleven Outer Heavens, in a sense, they were merely collateral branches.

Most of them weren't even human, possessing only a bestowed human bloodline. At this moment, it went without saying that everyone, including Xu Qing, had new understandings emerge the instant they witnessed this majestic scene.

"So that's how it is..." Xu Qing murmured.

At the same time, within the Eleven Outer Heavens, Immortal Sovereign Jiuan, who was on duty for this epoch, opened his eyes.

"The ascendants of this generation, enter my Outer Heaven."