Chapter 1177: Ten-Pillar Golden Platform

A skyful of starlight drew brilliant arcs across the sky above Little Chentian, then fell one after another.

Many students looked up with wonder, gazing at this spectacular sight, but before they could react, the countless streams of starlight—some thick, some thin, some bright, some dim—had already landed on each and every one of them.

The moment the starlight entered their bodies, everyone's expression changed at once, and then they felt, with shock and wild joy, that the phase force within them had undergone a startling refinement at this very moment.

"All students, calm your minds and cultivate, refining what you have gained." At this moment, a grand voice rang out across Little Chentian.

Some students of Tianyuan Ancient Academy recognized the voice and immediately cried out, "It's the Dean!"

"Is this the reward for our conscription mission? What kind of treasure is this? The effect is way too strong!" a student exclaimed in wild delight.

But the greater number immediately sat cross-legged and entered a state of cultivation, absorbing as much of the mysterious power flooding into their bodies as they could.

And so, in this region, the world's energy began to surge violently.

On Jiang Qing's side, they naturally also received the falling mysterious starlight, and because of her contribution, the starlight falling toward Jiang Qing was second only to Li Luo's in brightness.

Jiang Qing sensed the mysterious energy within her body, and her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Such ancient, such pure mysterious energy!"

That mysterious power flowing within her body directly caused the light phase force inside her to erupt in violent tremors—so intense that they nearly slipped beyond Jiang Qing's control.

The starlight shone upon her two light phase palaces, and the light phase force flowing within them began to surge like a rising tide, rapidly growing stronger.

Jiang Qing sensed the phase force within her rapidly intensifying, and a trace of pleasant surprise welled up in her heart, because she was already at the peak of the Da Tian Xiang Jing, and one step further would mean truly touching the Marquis Realm.

But breaking through to the Marquis Realm was no simple matter—it still required extensive preparation and accumulation. Jiang Qing had originally thought this would take some time, but now the arrival of this mysterious starlight had brought that step forward.

The most critical part of breaking through to the Marquis Realm was laying the foundation.

Laying the foundation for the Marquis Platform!

To forge this Marquis foundation, one not only needed a deep personal foundation, but also special materials called "Foundation Establishment Spiritual Treasures"—materials that were costly and rare, because they were something every powerful cultivator who stepped into the Marquis Realm spent their entire life continuously gathering.

After all, the Marquis Realm had nine grades, and each grade required forging a Marquis Platform. The "Foundation Establishment Spiritual Treasures" consumed in this process were naturally no small amount. It was said that for most Marquis-level powerhouses, fully half of their personal wealth was poured into this bottomless pit—and this was also the main reason so many Marquis-level powerhouses would rather give up their freedom, joining top powers to be driven and fight at their command.

The Marquis Realm required not only foundation, but also terrifying resources.

And as it happened, the "Nine-Striped Sacred Heart Lotus" beneath Jiang Qing's heart could also be considered a top-grade "Foundation Establishment Spiritual Treasure."

So now everything was in place, and this breakthrough opportunity could not have been more perfect.

Jiang Qing endured the surging energy within her body and arranged Li Luo in her lap into a cross-legged posture as well. His pallid complexion was now recovering rapidly, and since the mysterious starlight that had fallen into him had been the brightest, Jiang Qing no longer worried about his condition.

Jiang Qing first looked toward Li Hongyou, who had already staunched the bleeding from her wrist.

"Thank you," Jiang Qing expressed her gratitude.

Li Hongyou smiled and said, "From now on I'll still be following Junior Li Luo, so naturally I have to give it my all to help him."

Jiang Qing's gaze shifted slightly, and she said, "You're also one of Li Li Tianwang's lineage, aren't you?"

Li Hongyou was taken aback—she hadn't expected Jiang Qing to guess so accurately. She hesitated briefly, then said, "If we're really talking about seniority, I suppose I'd count as his cousin."

Jiang Qing and Li Luo's relationship was too close, so Li Hongyou did not conceal it any further.

Jiang Qing gave a slight nod, while inwardly thinking: sure enough, another older sister.

"You should prepare to cultivate first. Li Luo should be fine on this side too—the benefits he's gained this time are probably not small." Li Hongyou did not say more; she could sense the terrifying energy surging violently within Jiang Qing's body.

After saying this, Li Hongyou turned aside, found a secluded spot, sat cross-legged, and entered a state of cultivation.

She too had received a wisp of starlight.

Jiang Qing then looked toward Li Luo. At this moment, wave after wave of majestic, astonishing phase force fluctuations were likewise surging up from within him, and the world's energy was whistling in as well, gradually forming a massive energy vortex that wrapped Li Luo within it.

The mysterious starlight that had fallen toward Li Luo earlier had been the most dazzling and bright, which indicated that Li Luo had received the greatest benefit from this mission—but this was only natural, after all it was he who had ultimately turned the tide and slain the White-Pupil True Demon.

And Li Luo was currently at the Nine-Star Tian Zhu Jing, so with this opportunity, he would surely be able to advance into the Xiao Tian Xiang Jing.

It was possible that even the Void Seal rank couldn't hold him back; the probability was high that it would be the True Seal rank.

This improvement was clearly considerable.

After seeing that Li Luo's condition was fine, Jiang Qing walked to a cliffside rock not far away, then sat down cross-legged, a faint trace of anticipation flowing through her golden eyes.

Marquis Realm.

This realm she had once longed for was now, after years of bitter cultivation, infinitely close at last.

If this were in Daxia, this realm would even qualify one to establish a manor, and in a single leap make one a top-tier powerhouse of considerable weight in the empire.

Jiang Qing tilted her head slightly, Li Luo's figure reflected in her eyes from afar, and the corner of her lips curved into a smile.

Li Luo, it seems that in the end, I'm the one who reaches the Marquis Realm first.

As Jiang Qing's eyelids gradually closed, the world's energy surged and churned, forming a massive vortex with her as its source.

And if one looked down from high above at this moment, one would see that across this vast region, energy vortices of various sizes were emerging one after another.

Thanks to Wang Xuanjin's generosity this time, that wisp of "Heaven and Earth Mother Breath" was undoubtedly a rare opportunity bestowed upon the many students present.

And time, within this tranquil, spiritually beautiful Little Chentian, quietly slipped away.

Before anyone knew it, three months had passed.

During these three months, students kept emerging from their cultivation one after another, all wearing joyful expressions—clearly the results of this seclusion had been quite fruitful.

Among the results of these many students' advancement, the two most dazzling were none other than—

Ning Meng, Wu Changkong.

Because they had completed their final breakthrough, leaping in a single bound past the Da Tian Xiang Jing and stepping directly into the Feng Hou Zhi Jing!

Wu Changkong—eight pillars rose upon his Marquis Platform; this was an Eight-Pillar Marquis Platform!

Ning Meng—nine pillars rose upon her Marquis Platform; this was a Nine-Pillar Marquis Platform!

The Marquis Platform has long been known by the saying "Ten-Pillar Golden Platform."

Because at the very moment a Marquis Platform is forged, golden pillars naturally form upon it. These so-called golden pillars are derived from one's own foundation, potential, and Foundation Establishment Spiritual Treasures.

In simple terms, it refers to the grade of the Marquis Platform itself.

Some people, with thin foundation, potential, and talent, even if they luckily step into the Marquis Realm, might only have two or three golden pillars emerge on their Marquis Platform.

But for those with deep foundations, more golden pillars could emerge, making the Marquis Platform they forged grander and more powerful—invincible among those of the same rank.

Additionally, generally speaking, once the grade of a Marquis Platform was forged, it would be permanently fixed and could no longer be altered.

As for Wu Changkong and Ning Meng, one had eight pillars, the other nine. This showed that not only were their foundations and potential formidable, but they must have also long prepared Foundation Establishment spirit treasures of no low grade.

The two men's breakthrough drew exclamations of admiration from the many students still lingering here, because from this moment on, Ning Meng and Wu Changkong had thoroughly pulled ahead of them.

When they were still merely entering the hall and mastering the basics, the two had already taken their place at the Marquis Realm, becoming true powerhouses—powerhouses who, even within the academy, were more than qualified to serve as instructors.

As the crowd sighed, their gazes inevitably drifted toward the two enormous energy vortexes still present between heaven and earth—where Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e were.

They had actually not yet finished their cultivation.

However, judging from the fluctuations on Jiang Qing'e's side, she was undoubtedly also charging at the Marquis Realm, though the forging of her Marquis Platform seemed not yet complete.

This secretly shocked the crowd, and at the same time made them understand Jiang Qing'e's ambition.

She was likely forging a Ten-Pillar Marquis Platform!

And within the Marquis Realm, ten pillars are unrivaled.

Jiang Qing'e meant to forge the most supreme of all... the Unrivaled Marquis Platform!