Chapter 1221: Sealing the Heavens

Chapter 1221: Sealing the Heavens

The myriad heavens.

There arose voices of admiration and awe, saying: “Well done.”

There were unfathomable gazes, deep beyond measure, brimming with strangeness.

There were lofty wills, aloof and indifferent.

And there were solemn thoughts—calmly gazing, finally transmitting secrets perceptible only to themselves.

“Turn the pages of history past the Apex Heaven, and unfold the new epoch belonging to the younger generation.”

“Apex Radiance, your talent is peerless—you could forsake everything. And your son’s heart is equally peerless—he too can relinquish all… Father and son alike in such resolve… I… truly fall short of you.”

…

These thoughts of the myriad heavens remained unknown to outsiders. Yet within the Azure Heaven at this very moment, as the Apex Radiance Immortal Palace transformed into an immortal foundation and merged into Xu Qing’s nascent immortal embryo, a terrifying aura erupted from Xu Qing’s body.

It grew stronger and stronger, until it became a blinding flash, leaving its mark upon the entire Outer Heaven.

Then, amid the stunned awe of all present, an inexplicable pressure emanated naturally from him—a presence that instinctively stirred worship in the hearts of those who beheld him.

It was the same sensation evoked by divinity itself—the manifestation of essence so densely concentrated it verged on the divine. It was also the innate majesty of one who had become sovereign of an Outer Heaven.

Beneath this majesty, even Xing Huanzi bowed his head instinctively.

He, who bore the inheritance of the Fourth True Lord, shared karmic ties with the Apex Radiance Outer Heaven—and that karma, persisting through time, now converged upon Xu Qing.

Yuan Shan Su trembled uncontrollably. She tried to suppress it but could not.

Visions from the mirror realm flickered through her mind, and faintly, in her eyes, Xu Qing once again resembled… the Young Lord of Apex Radiance.

Li Mengtu wore a dazed expression, recalling his mirrored identity within the Apex Radiance Immortal Palace.

Xie Lingzi instinctively stepped backward several paces, swiftly discarding every trace of ulterior intent.

If even they reacted thus, how much more so the other Ascended Ones? At this moment, all were thrown into turmoil.

Among them, Zhou Zhengli’s inner storm raged fiercest.

His eyes gleamed strangely. In his hand appeared an iron shard, which he crushed fiercely—driving it deep into his palm until blood welled forth. Simultaneously, he bit down hard on his tongue, drawing forth yet more blood.

That blood flowed backward toward his eyes, staining his pupils crimson.

But this was not the end. Within him, his Xian surged forth explosively at that instant.

Linking the blood from his tongue and palm—one stream flooding into his eyes, the other channeling into the iron shard—he activated his ultimate secret art.

With this technique, he looked upon Xu Qing anew!

Everything he had previously thought and spoken was true.

He truly wished to serve Xu Qing; he truly gambled everything; he truly knew certain hidden truths.

Likewise, he genuinely desired to follow, hoping for immense gains in days to come.

Yet amidst these sincere intentions lay another purpose:

He needed to see Xu Qing clearly!

He had to glimpse him through foresight—

Even if abstract.

Even if blurred.

Even if just a sliver…

He would exhaust every means, sacrifice everything, to see!

This was his Dao.

Ever since first encountering Xu Qing, a premonition had grown ever deeper and stronger within Zhou Zhengli’s mind, until it hardened into obsession.

“To see is to comprehend the Dao.”

“If my Xian witnesses this sight, it shall break through—and so shall my cultivation!”

But Zhou Zhengli understood: under ordinary circumstances, his foresight could never achieve this. So he waited.

Until now—until Xu Qing’s breakthrough, when storms rose, heaven and earth roared, stars trembled, and the Azure Heaven blazed!

The moment a Sovereign ascended to Quasi-Immortal status was like a sealed door briefly cracking open.

Though merely a hairline gap, what one saw through it—from outside—was enough!

Thus, seizing this fleeting opportunity, Zhou Zhengli glimpsed it—in that infinitesimal opening between worlds, he… saw!

The instant he saw, his entire body convulsed violently. Thunder louder than celestial lightning exploded inside his skull.

Blood burst forth simultaneously from his eyes, nostrils, mouth, and ears—seven orifices bleeding profusely.

Yet he laughed.

A laugh charged with exhilaration.

And within that exhilaration, utter terror.

“A strange star-ring… a horrifying, indescribable fragmented visage… and atop that fragment, a throne…”

“And upon that throne… a figure…”

“He is looking at me. He is…”

Zhou Zhengli’s body detonated outwardly. His aura surged wildly in that moment—his Xian, having witnessed this vision, ascended instantly.

His cultivation, already teetering on the brink of Quasi-Immortality—not lacking in essence, but in Xian—now broke through in that very instant. His nascent immortal embryo erupted with power.

Right there, amidst them all, he ascended to Quasi-Immortal.

Thick mists swiftly enveloped him—manifestations of his Xian, concealing his breakthrough just as his Dao concealed secrets. To outsiders, his ascension remained utterly imperceptible.

The surrounding Ascended Ones sensed this and their minds churned anew with shock.

But Xu Qing paid them no heed.

He opened his eyes.

Within them swirled galaxies, harboring entire universes.

Upon his brows coiled stellar vortices, vast beyond comprehension.

At that moment, the entire Outer Heaven thundered.

Countless races, within their ancestral lands, obeyed some primal, ineffable knowing—and knelt instinctively.

All trembled.

For… a pair of eyes had appeared in the Outer Heaven the moment Xu Qing opened his own—hovering above all living beings, above all creation.

Gazing down upon the Azure Heaven.

They were Xu Qing’s eyes.

With the authority of the celestial palace within his body, he gazed upon all living beings and myriad things.

This eye—omniscient.

In this moment, Xu Qing saw countless traces.

Within these traces lay every universe of the Outer Heavens, every race, the Divine Prison, and all resources originally belonging to this realm of the Outer Heavens.

After a long while, Xu Qing sighed inwardly.

He withdrew his gaze.

Because the Aurora Outer Heaven had been without a master for many years, its various races had fallen into chaos and complexity. The weak had already been eradicated; even the strong now bore entanglements with other Outer Heavens behind them.

As for the Divine Prisons… corruption among their guardians was rampant—most were already emptied.

Those prisons once holding True Divinities? None remained.

After all, such primal essence was always the first plundered—either stolen from within or divided among rival Outer Heavens.

The Hun Tian Universe, in a sense, was merely a microcosm of the entire Outer Heaven.

“I suspect the True Divinity Prison within the Hun Tian Universe was left behind only because that Lower Immortal, constrained by his own circumstances, previously refused to expend great cost to claim it.”

Xu Qing fell silent.

He knew well—these losses were not irretrievable.

Yet reclaiming them demanded both overwhelming strength and vast amounts of time.

Neither did he possess at present.

Thus, after a moment’s silence, his eyes flickered with an eerie light.

He spoke softly, yet his words echoed through the Azure Heaven itself:

“Half an hour hence, this Heaven shall close. Any race wishing to depart before then—I shall not hinder you!”

“But if your people leave, the resources belonging to this Heaven stay behind!”

These races, each backed by foreign Outer Heavens, held little value for Xu Qing. Their past entanglements stemmed from historical causes unrelated to him.

What he desired was not a chaotic Outer Heaven.

Even if their departure rendered this realm nearly lifeless—

—it would also render it clean.

Given that, better to open the gates than force them to remain.

His voice rippled across the Outer Heaven, instantly stirring waves of change and activating permissions for departure.

Soon enough, numerous races urgently contacted their external patrons and began migrations.

Time trickled away.

Though half an hour was brief for such undertakings, within this final window they strained every effort to activate transference arrays.

The deadline arrived.

Xu Qing’s inner celestial palace trembled.

His voice resonated once more:

“Heaven—sealed.”

In the next instant, radiant streams erupted from his position, spreading outward at speeds beyond comprehension, racing through every universe until the entire Outer Heaven was enshrouded. Exit permissions vanished; the starry void locked shut.

Henceforth, none might enter or leave this Outer Heaven without Xu Qing’s decree.

Having done this, the mists surrounding Zhou Zhengli gradually dissipated, revealing his figure as he stepped forward into the starry expanse—not as a Sovereign anymore, but as a Quasi-Immortal.

Yet his expression remained unchanged: a humble smile as he bowed deeply to Xu Qing.

“Congratulations, Lord Qing!”

All others present, regardless of faction or origin, also bowed low.

It was respect for the Outer Heaven—and acknowledgment of its new master.

Xu Qing fixed his gaze upon Zhou Zhengli.

After a long pause, he spoke quietly:

“It is time we departed.”

Though the celestial palace formed his foundation and he now commanded this Outer Heaven, these were merely his reserves. His duty remained unchanged—he was still a Provisioner.

With that, Xu Qing raised his hand and swept it across the starry void.

Ripples surged forth, carving a path of departure.

He stepped onto it, and the others, suppressing their thoughts, followed one by one.

Zhou Zhengli did likewise—but walking just behind Xu Qing, he stared at the retreating back ahead, storms still churning within his heart.

Unable to help himself, memories surfaced:

“The one seated upon the throne, gazing down upon me… was him!”

Zhou Zhengli lowered his head and quickened his pace, resolve hardening with every step.

...

Thus, the group journeyed along the starry path. Empowered by its enchantments, each stride spanned multiple universes, until at last they reached the edge of the Outer Heaven—and stepped beyond.

The moment they crossed the threshold, an unfamiliar starfield unfolded before their eyes.

This place was the boundary between Outer Heavens—the so-called Heavenless Belt.

Generally barren and desolate, here—perhaps due to the Aurora Outer Heaven’s prolonged vacancy—neighboring powers had extended their influence.

Consequently, a measure of prosperity had taken root: star systems teeming with life and civilization dotted the void.

Moreover, even Hai Cao stirred, sending forth a divine thought:

“There lies a Divine Prison within—and rich with primal essence!”

At this proclamation, Xu Qing turned his head. Behind him, Xing Huanzi and the others also focused their gazes, eyes gleaming with sudden intensity.

They were far from sated.

This excursion had left them yearning for more.

Sensing the prison’s presence, their glances flickered—and some turned toward Xu Qing.

This location fell outside their assigned provisioning mandate.

Xu Qing pondered silently.

“There’s abundant primal essence here,” Xing Huanzi suddenly remarked. “Possibly even Nine-Hued Ice.”

Hearing this, the group’s desire flared anew.

Xu Qing pondered for a moment, then spoke softly.

"Using that excuse repeatedly is unseemly."

The group fell silent.

Zhou Zhengli, standing nearby, flickered his eyes and murmured gently,

"What about... the deity who quelled the prison break?"