Chapter 1198: Nineteen Dao Seeds Press Down the Goddess Maiden

Outside the teleportation array, gazes gathered one after another.

At this moment, all eyes were upon him, and the sound of discussion rose and fell.

But... compared to Zhou Zhengli's feelings about boosting Xu Qing's reputation, the goddess in Xu Qing's hand now harbored endless, surging hatred and fury in her heart.

Though she was on the brink of death, no longer possessing her former divine radiance, her skin dry and lacking luster, she had not truly lost consciousness.

Because Xu Qing would not allow it.

According to Xu Qing's repeated experience of harvesting while the subject was alive, the more the target's soul fluctuated and the more active it was, the better the quality of the harvest.

Thus, along this journey, the Star-Pupil Goddess remained conscious.

Harvested while alive.

And every time she was about to lose consciousness, she would be forcibly stimulated awake.

Over and over...

Thus, for her, this journey brought suffering beyond description.

For one of noble bloodline who stood high above, this was something she had never experienced in her life—truly unforgettable.

And this was also the source of her utmost hatred and fury toward Xu Qing.

Thus, even now, amidst the countless gazes, though weak, she opened her divine eyes and stared fixedly at Xu Qing.

But Xu Qing had long grown accustomed to such a gaze; at this moment, his face was expressionless, only the hand gripping the Star-Pupil's neck tightened once more.

Absorb again!

Instantly, the Star-Pupil trembled all over, as if electric arcs wandered her entire body, seeping into her spirit, transforming into a sensation as if her very soul were about to be torn away, making her even weaker.

She wanted to groan, but her neck was choked, rendering her unable to make any sound.

Thus, in this frenzy, all her hatred gathered in her eyes, becoming the most vicious curse in her heart.

"If I can survive this calamity, then I will spend my lifetime making sure that the person before me, and all his kin, wish they were dead!!!"

Xu Qing still ignored her.

To him, swiftly raising his cultivation, advancing to the Lower Immortal, and returning to the Eastern Wanggu Continent—this was what mattered most.

"And there is also the reward for this capture of the goddess..."

"Moreover, this goddess's physique is very special... if she can be held long-term, breaking through to enter the middle stage of the Quasi-Immortal realm is imminent!"

Xu Qing led the Star-Pupil, under the escort of the Nianlin Army, absorbing instinctively while pondering in his heart, leaving the teleportation array and walking toward the distance.

Toward the giant red star where the Supreme Commander of the Left Wing Frontline resides.

And the cultivators who had come here to watch, seeing Xu Qing and his party depart until they vanished, all felt their spirits stirred, sighing with many emotions.

"Their party are originally Dao Seeds, and they are not lacking in tempering; now they have achieved such great merit, from now on they will surely soar to the heavens!"

"Especially that Xu Qing—his name will soon spread throughout the Fifth Star Ring!"

Amidst sighs, various emotions arose, but whether envy or jealousy, the departing Xu Qing had flung everything behind him.

Thus, time passed.

Half a month later, with the Nianlin Army providing uninterrupted escort, Xu Qing and his party crossed the star sea and finally arrived at the frontline headquarters located at the core of the Left Wing War Zone frontline!

It was a massive and slightly irregular star!

Like a crimson demon star, hanging in the starry sky.

From afar, it seemed like a solitary eye condensed from the weeping blood of a deity, gazing down upon the cosmos.

Although he had come here once before, seeing this star again with his own eyes, Xu Qing's heart still stirred.

Indeed, this star was immensely huge, like a burning giant fireball in the universe, emitting incomparably brilliant and scorching light.

That light seemed able to penetrate endless darkness, making it an extremely conspicuous presence in the vast starry sky.

And upon arriving here, the Nianlin Army no longer advanced, but came to a halt; the leading cultivator bowed solemnly to Xu Qing.

After Xu Qing returned the salute, knowing their mission was complete, what followed was the report of duty by himself and his companions.

Thus, he turned his gaze toward the giant red star, his figure flickered, and together with the Star Ring Child and others, he rushed straight toward this star.

As they drew near, they could see the surface of the red star shrouded in violently churning "fire sea," scorching flames constantly surging and rolling, then steaming up into crimson mist.

At the same time, striking their faces was something mysterious that Xu Qing had not felt before due to his previous cultivation and understanding being different from now.

It was the heartbeat of the Constitutional Level!

Like the sound of ancient war drums, echoing and surging within this fire sea.

Dong—dong, dong—dong!

As if this star were a living being!

At any moment it could erupt into a sky-flooding crimson tide, accompanied by roars, sweeping across the star domain, turning everything within it into dust.

This sight caused Xu Qing's figure to pause.

The people behind him also each felt their spirits shaken.

And just as everyone came to a halt, a desolate sound came from the void, containing endless antiquity, as if carrying the wind of ages.

"Very good..."

As the voice arrived, suddenly ahead of Xu Qing and his party, a massive solar flare burst forth, forming an extremely intense light that illuminated the surrounding void.

Like giant fireworks blooming in the universe.

And within this sea of light, ten million silver vertical-pupiled eyes suddenly appeared, opening abruptly.

Each pupil clearly reflected the past scenes of slaughter between Xu Qing's party and the goddess.

As if reviewing the entire process.

After a few breaths, those slaughter images vanished; the ten million eyes locked onto Xu Qing and his party.

Especially fixed upon was the Star-Pupil Goddess in Xu Qing's hand.

Immediately, a pulling force came from nowhere.

Feeling the vastness of this power, Xu Qing could only let go, allowing this pulling force to envelop the goddess and draw her into the sea of light, gradually vanishing from sight.

Watching this scene, Xu Qing felt a deep regret in his heart.

He had not yet absorbed enough.

Though this journey seemed swift, he had actually delayed as much as possible, all to absorb more.

Indeed, the source essence within this goddess's body was clearly different from that of other deities; though not endless, it often regenerated just as it was about to be drained dry.

Even as the amount regenerated grew smaller and smaller, its quality remained exquisitely pure.

"If I could absorb for a little longer, my cultivation would surely break through."

Xu Qing sighed inwardly, yet he also knew that at Zhan Lu Immortal Lord's place, this goddess was even more needed, making it impossible for him to keep her indefinitely.

Thus, he could only suppress this thought.

Afterwards, thinking of the reward for capturing the goddess, Xu Qing bowed deeply toward the front.

The people behind him did the same.

After a long while, that voice seeming to contain the vicissitudes of ages echoed once more.

"Those who obtain the goddess's whereabouts shall be rewarded with a million military merits and ten-direction source essence; those who capture her alive shall be rewarded with ten million military merits and hundred-direction source essence!"

"You, having obtained the whereabouts and captured the goddess, have achieved great merit!"

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single shot, not a single inner, not a single content, not a single in, not a single one look!

Upon hearing this, the crowd was invigorated.

"Xu Qing!"

Upon hearing the words, Xu Qing's expression became solemn, and he stepped forward.

Within the sea of light, a hundred thousand eyes focused on his person.

The ancient voice echoed back.

"This goddess, I shall deliver to the Zhan Lu Immortal Lord, and I shall also petition for you to be granted the title of True Lord and... an Immortal Lord's magical artifact!"

"Regarding this artifact, do you have any requests?"

Xu Qing's eyes flashed with strange light; after pondering, he clasped his fists and spoke in a low voice.

"This humble official wishes for an artifact of the Slaughter Dao!"

"Very well, I shall convey this for you."

"And all rewards shall be delivered within seven days; you may wait here at the Star Pagoda, for this star itself contains source essence—make good use of it."

The voice gradually faded.

A hundred thousand silver eyes slowly closed, and after a few breaths, the sea of light also vanished, yet twelve towers composed of magma rose from the earth amidst its tremors.

They stood before Xu Qing and his twelve companions.

These twelve fire towers exuded thick source essence, so much so that even Xu Qing felt his very constitution tremble.

The Star Ring Child Zhou Zhengli and others behind him were all deeply moved.

"Earlier, I had already heard that this crimson giant star was forged by the Zhan Lu Immortal Lord slaying multiple peak True Gods, using their skulls and divine blood, combined with a giant star in refinement!"

"Moreover, a trace of his own early constitution was fused into it."

"Thus, even those of the lower immortal level who cultivate here gain many benefits, though this star is unstable, so unless specially granted, one is not permitted to remain here!"

Zhou Zhengli spoke softly.

Xu Qing nodded slightly, turned to face those behind him, their gazes locking as they each saw the hardships they had endured on this journey.

Afterwards, Xu Qing's expression grew solemn, and he bowed deeply.

"This reward, aside from the True Lord's title which cannot be shared, the source essence and military merits are ours to share!"

"Though I wield the Immortal Lord's artifact, it too belongs to us all!"

Zhou Zhengli became solemn, the Star Ring Child remained silent, Li Mengtu grinned, the Evil Spirit Child coughed once, and as for Yuan Shan Su, his eyes drooped slightly.

The others were likewise.

Each returned the salute.

Even the Thousand Army Repeller was among them, and seemed even more excited, as if being bowed to by Xu Qing would bring them greater joy than receiving the reward itself.

Afterwards, Xu Qing turned and entered the fire tower.

The others likewise stepped forward, each choosing a tower, beginning their respective cultivations.

Time passed in this manner, day by day.

And while everyone awaited the rewards, as the goddess was sent to the Zhan Lu Immortal Lord, the black and white hovering above the entire battlefield region between the fourth and fifth star rings also fluctuated silently.

And clearly... the white representing the immortals was sweeping forward, causing the black representing the alien to continually retreat.

This reversal of momentum immediately rippled across the left, center, and right frontline battle zones, making the conflict between the two sides fiercer, and the cultivators gained the upper hand.

The stalemate between the Slaughter of the God Emperor and the Zhan Lu Immortal Lord seemed to have been broken.

Faintly, two vast figures could be seen within the black and white, gazing at each other.

Immediately after... a thread of divine thought, unequal in realm and unheard of, fluctuated within the momentum.

"Zhan Lu, you should know: if the front line falls and I retreat, this war will escalate to a decisive battle involving multiple beings of our level, as well as God Sovereigns and Immortal Sovereigns—have you... made preparations?"

At the same time, in the fourth star ring, far from the battlefield's core, that place was thick with alien essence.

Within the edge of the starry sky, there drifted an ancient-sounding deity, vast as a meteorite, its form withered.

It clung to life by a thread, devoid of wisdom, seeming to retain only instinct...

Its drifting trajectory appeared to have a set direction, guided by some unseen pull, returning to some unknown place.

And within this withered deity's body, at the position of the heart, where flesh and blood had vanished, sat a man and a woman, cross-legged in meditation.

After a long while, one of them opened his eyes, sensed the outside world, and spoke softly.

"Husband, we're almost there..."

With the echo of the words, another person opened and closed their eyes, nodding slightly.

"The lights at the front lines have indeed drawn nearly all attention, but... the road ahead requires us to be more concealed."

At this moment, if Xu Qing were here and saw these two, he would certainly recognize them at a glance.

They are none other than the Young Master of Aurora and his Dao companion, the Immortal Phoenix Fairy!