Chapter 1343

The once pitch-black Spirit Abyss is now entirely bathed in golden light.

Thus, this place has become a world of gold.

Within that golden radiance, the divine authority emanating from the Eye of the Divine Sovereign inside the lantern surges like tidal waves, churning the sea of the world.

Wherever it passes, all things dissolve within that golden light.

This is not decomposition, nor is it the disassembly like Xu Qing's constitution; it is a gradual reduction forming a decrement.

This process, aside from requiring the corresponding divine authority, cannot be reversed,

All things are altered; everything within the void—whether life or breath, illusory or real existence, time or space—

Everything, everything, is destined to vanish in this decrement.

Naturally, this includes that golden lizard,

Though he is a Divine Sovereign, he is not the true body; only a thread of divine thought has come here, ultimately limited.

Therefore, even possessing the status of a Divine Sovereign, under the divine authority of the Eye of an equal-status Divine Sovereign, he cannot endure for long.

After all, that Eye of the Divine Sovereign, besides its own power, also bears the blessing of Master Bai.

Thus, this lantern has become the sharpest object in Xu Qing's hands now.

At this moment, wherever its light passes, all becomes void, except the golden lizard, which still persists within the void.

Yet, as the divine thought is nullified layer by layer, his figure gradually blurs, and before vanishing, he turns his head and gazes at Xu Qing.

In the void, his cold voice echoes.

"You will one day step outside."

Amid the undulating sound, the golden lizard closes his eyes, his form melting into the golden light, vanishing within the radiance.

Erased.

By this, expel!

Only the lingering echo of his previous words remains, reverberating for a long time without fading.

Xu Qing's gaze is icy, listening to the echo drifting in all directions; he understands the meaning within that one's words.

In truth, even possessing this lantern forged by the Eye of the Divine Sovereign, he still knows the gap between himself and a Divine Sovereign remains as vast as heaven and earth.

Between them, there is no such thing as being able to fight.

And the reason the four Divine Sovereigns of the Ninth Star Ring chose compromise, allowing themselves to be bounded by the line drawn in Eastern Wanggu, is due to the Upper Wasteland.

They fear the Upper Wasteland, dare not manifest their true forms, not even avatars dare descend; they can only arrange demonic subordinates, or use some methods to drop divine thoughts.

Yet, precisely because Xu Qing now commands such battle power, their divine thoughts coming here can also be erased.

This is why they chose to stand by and watch,

But it is indeed as that golden lizard said: unless Xu Qing thereafter does not step outside a single pace.

Otherwise, once he leaves the range of Eastern Wanggu, having lost their dread of the Upper Wasteland, they have too many methods,

That can drive Xu Qing to a dead end.

Even if Xu Qing bears the karma of the Upper Wasteland, having once provoked its descent into the Fourth Star Ring, for Divine Sovereigns, they need not act personally; multiple Divine Lords acting together can still achieve victory.

"Going out—"

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, then slowly lowered the raised lantern.

As the divine might within the lantern gradually faded, his body swayed slightly, and a pallor appeared on his face.

Using such a treasure of this level, even in his current state of Immortal-God fusion, is difficult to employ multiple times; each use— for him—is a consumption.

Especially this time, he activated the divine authority of the Divine Sovereign within the lantern, and the consumption is far greater.

Thus, at the instant the golden lizard vanished, Xu Qing also withdrew his own thought; the Eye of the Divine Sovereign within his lantern,

At this moment, closed once more.

The golden light of the Spirit Abyss also, at this moment, vanished completely.

The void returned to pitch-black, but compared to before, this darkness now bears an air of emptiness.

Utterly clean.

The entire Spirit Abyss, to some extent, no longer exists.

Only that rotting giant serpent remains there, trembling.

Earlier, the golden light, under Xu Qing's control, avoided the position behind him, so this serpent and the Eye of the Spirit Sovereign were not assimilated by the golden light.

As for Zhou Zhengli and the others, they likewise successively flew out from the world borne on the serpent's back, appearing beside Xu Qing.

In the outside world, they perceived within the world; at this moment, their gazes toward Xu Qing also carried a deeper sense of awe.

Even the Star Ring Child silently lowered his head slightly.

They are all like this, let alone the Ancient Spirit Sovereign, who watched helplessly as the Spirit Abyss became void, even that terrifying existence in his memory dissipated, so all the eyes of the Ancient Spirit Sovereign now shine with shock and horror.

Feeling the serpent's tremor and seeing the Ancient Spirit Sovereign's shock, Xu Qing shook his head.

"The Ancient Spirit Sovereign who could unify Eastern Wanggu must possess great ambition, and indeed he does."

"But clearly, after his failed ascension, he indeed fell, and you—are his obsession given form, used by the Divine Sovereign, granted vitality."

"But you, are no longer the Ancient Spirit Sovereign you once were."

Xu Qing spoke calmly.

The Ancient Spirit Sovereign said nothing; bitterness welled in all his eyes, and he finally chose to close them.

He knows he cannot struggle, cannot resist, and Xu Qing's words also speak the truth he refuses to admit.

He, indeed, is no longer the Ancient Spirit Sovereign he once was.

Merely a remnant body relying on external force to revive, clinging to life, hiding within the Spirit Abyss.

"But you possess the status from the ancient times of Eastern Wanggu, whether it is the identity of your true body, or your connection to Eastern Wanggu, or even the cultivation your true body once had"

Xu Qing gazed at the Ancient Spirit Sovereign, a hint of profundity appearing in his eyes.

"Since you are the obsession formed from the Ancient Spirit Emperor's desire to seize the Heavenly Dao, then——"

"Today, you shall become the Heavenly Dao."

Xu Qing said, raising his right hand in a grasp, directly seizing the Ancient Spirit Emperor's Eye and that giant serpent, stepping through the void in an instant and vanishing.

Upon appearing above the firmament of Eastern Wanggu, his words caused the Ancient Spirit Emperor's closed eyes on the other side to snap open wide in disbelief, staring at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing lifted his head, gazing into the distant firmament.

"Wanggu cultivators, after condensing the spirit, the path ahead is severed; aside from special inheritances, there is no longer any possibility of sovereignty, for when the Upper Wasteland arrived long ago, it devoured numerous Heavenly Daos, leaving the cultivators' way in Wanggu incomplete."

As he spoke, a sharp light flared in Xu Qing's eyes.

"Heavenly Dao!"

The instant these two words left his mouth, they transcended the Heavenly Dao, transcended the Heavenly Sound, and shattered all of Wanggu.

Amid the rumbling, above Xu Qing's head, the celestial canopy instantly manifested countless strange figures, appearing in unison.

These figures included humans and non-humans,

and they were all the remnants of Heavenly Dao still lingering in Wanggu to this day.

Most were largely decayed, each with turbid auras and blurred appearances—yet at that moment, Xu Qing's voice rang out: "Today, I seal the Ancient Spirit Emperor—one eye, one path, ninety-nine eyes, becoming Wanggu's ninety-nine Heavenly Daos!"

As Xu Qing's voice, imbued with the power of sealing righteousness, rang out, Wanggu's fortune surged, transforming into auspicious omens rising in all directions, while those lingering Heavenly Daos all bowed low, their figures retreating, yielding their station.

Thereafter, Xu Qing's gaze fell upon the Ancient Spirit Emperor.

All of the Ancient Spirit Emperor's eyes now radiated excitement.

"Thank you, Lord of Wanggu."

Having spoken, it suddenly dispersed, returning to the giant serpent beside it, merging into its body, and finally, as the serpent trembled, ninety-nine wounds split open upon its flesh.

Within each wound, an eye sprouted.

All opened in unison.

Then, from the serpent's mouth came a roar as it shot into the sky.

One eye is one path; gathered together, they formed ninety-nine Heavenly Daos, taking dominion over Wanggu.

The entire Wanggu trembled.

In the unseen depths, all races sensed it, and even some cultivators stranded in the late Spirit Condensation stage, in that instant, felt waves of sudden enlightenment arise in their hearts, followed by excitement.

For these insights were guidance upon the path of sovereignty—this all came from the Ancient Spirit Emperor, from his station, from his cultivation!

This is to take the ancient way and continue it into the present age as the path of sovereignty!

"Heavenly Dao must not be lacking, hence it must be a hundredfold."

Gazing upon the Ancient Spirit Emperor now taking dominion, Xu Qing spoke softly, then turned his gaze toward the sealed Feng Haijun.

Outside the sealed Feng Haijun, on the land, there sat a giant infant as seen by ordinary folk, grinning foolishly at Xu Qing.

Yet upon its body were visible numerous festering wounds.

These were the remnants of corruption by the Ancient Immortal Pool.

Gazing at the giant infant, Xu Qing's gaze softened.

"Return the residual Dao to its station!"

As the thought arose, the voice followed, landing upon the firmament; in an instant, those residual Daos that had yielded their station to the Ancient Spirit Emperor each transformed into streams of light,

racing straight toward the giant infant.

In that instant, they entered one by one into the giant infant's body.

Causing the infant's aura to grow ever more substantial, while the wounds upon its body healed at astonishing speed.

Until finally, the giant infant's entire body shone with fivefold radiance, and simultaneously began to grow; in Xu Qing's sight, it took on the semblance of a six- or seven-year-old boy.

Its face was like a silver disc, its skin fairer than snow, Bai Xi, glowing with a moist luster, like mutton-fat beautiful jade, exuding a sense of pure clarity and endearing charm.

Especially its eyes, like dots of ink, deep yet revealing clarity within, like a clear spring, or like brilliant stars fallen into their depths—gazing back and forth, flowing light and radiance, all the innocence and purity of childhood.

Overall, it resembled the tender bud just bursting on a spring branch, making one feel joy at a single glance.

As if, it itself was an auspicious omen.

At this moment, it stood, turned toward Xu Qing, raised its small hand, and bowed.

"I, the child, pay respects to my great father."

Xu Qing's face broke into a smile as he spoke softly.

"You originally had no form, but descended by fate, born as Heavenly Dao, enjoying the station of the ancient Dao.

Today, I seal you as Wanggu's first Heavenly Dao!

Commanding the Ancient Spirit's ninety-nine paths!

Future guardian of Wanggu!"

Xu Qing's voice, imbued with the majesty of his constitution, carried the support of fortune, surging through Wanggu, rumbling in the hearts of all beings, sealing righteous Heavenly Dao.

Thus the rosy light grew deeper, heaven and earth shared auspiciousness.

Amid this sky-filling rosy light, the child gazed at Xu Qing with utter seriousness, nodding firmly.

"I, the child, heed my great father's words; from now on, I shall surely guard Wanggu."

"I am here, so Wanggu is here."

"If I am not here, I will still strive with all my might to ensure Wanggu remains."

Xu Qing nodded.

The child drew a deep breath, turned its head, and gazed toward another direction; there, it sensed its second father, and so bowed in that direction.

Thereafter, its body rose into the air, amidst thousands of ribbons of auspicious light, with the Ancient Spirit's ninety-nine paths bowing low, it entered the station of Wanggu's first Heavenly Dao!

At the moment of taking dominion, Wanggu's rules suddenly surged with turbulence.