Xu Qing didn't want to waste time. When the disciples heard his words, they immediately agreed to lead the way. Very soon, Xu Qing arrived at the center of the fourteen ancestral corpse statues.
This place was heavily guarded. At the same time, the divine sense fluctuations coming from the Taboo magic treasure were also extremely powerful. As they constantly swept out, the Taboo magic treasure could instantly detect anything amiss.
In addition, there were a large number of formations and countless magic artifacts here, forming a dense seal that caused the void to freeze. Xu Qing's mind shook when he sensed it.
At the center of the fourteen statues, below the ancient bronze mirror, Xu Qing saw a gigantic octagonal altar.
There were cultivators sitting in the eight corners of the altar. Xu Qing could sense that their cultivation bases were at least at two Heavenly Palaces. At the moment Xu Qing approached, the eight of them opened their eyes at the same time.
When they looked at Xu Qing, their eyes shone with a strange light. They didn't act as Dao protectors and instead stood up and bowed politely to Xu Qing.
They weren't unfamiliar with Xu Qing and knew that he could step into the Golden Core Realm at any time. Once he stepped into the Golden Core Realm, he would form two Heavenly Palaces instantly. Such a person couldn't be treated like an ordinary disciple.
Xu Qing returned the greeting politely and walked up to the altar.
On the way here, he had already learned how to use this Taboo magic treasure from the jade slip Old Master Seventh had given him. He could do this alone, but if he wanted the Taboo magic treasure to be fully activated, he would need others to help him.
Xu Qing drew in a deep breath. He stepped onto the altar and walked to the center. After sitting down cross-legged, he lifted his head and glanced at the majestic ancient mirror in the sky. He retracted his gaze and formed hand seals which then pressed down on the altar.
The Golden Core Dao Protectors knew about their mission, so they performed hand seals and pressed down at the same time.
The altar rumbled. A powerful beam of light shot up from where Xu Qing was sitting. The light was so intense that Xu Qing's figure became blurry. In the next instant, the beam of light shot into the sky.
After that, as the eight Dao Protectors performed hand seals, light shot out from the eight corners. These eight beams of light were crimson in color. After fusing with Xu Qing's light in midair, the colors of the light mixed together and transformed into a blood-colored light that directly landed on the ancient mirror in the sky.
The ancient mirror suddenly trembled. Slowly, it stopped rotating and gradually stabilized, facing Xu Qing.
After the red light surged in, it instantly transformed into a refracting light that was sent to the ground. It overlapped with the incoming light and enveloped Xu Qing.
Xu Qing trembled intensely. He felt a heaven-shaking might and at the same time, his body seemed to have become transparent. His 120 magic apertures turned into light spots that were very clear.
This made it easier for him to search for the 121st aperture. Thus, he used his divine sense to search his body.
However, the process wasn't very smooth. In just around twenty breaths of time, the light dimmed and gradually dissipated. After a moment, Xu Qing opened his eyes with regret.
He didn't find it.
"I will have to trouble the Dao Protectors to do it again." Xu Qing politely spoke.
The eight people in the surroundings smiled and nodded. They formed hand seals again; beams of light quickly rose and were reflected by the ancient mirror. Xu Qing immediately began to search for the 121st magic aperture.
However, he failed this time as well.
Xu Qing frowned. As the light dissipated, he thought of what his master had said. In the past, those who opened the 121st magic aperture mostly found the location of the magic aperture when they were between life and death.
"As expected, I lack a life and death situation." Xu Qing mumbled as his previous plan appeared in his mind.
This plan was a little crazy and contained a crisis to his life, but Xu Qing no longer hesitated. He stood up and bowed towards the sky.
"Lord Third, disciple Xu Qing requests for the Sea Corpse Race… Life and Death Conversion!"
As soon as Xu Qing spoke, the expressions of the eight Dao Protectors changed.
The Sea Corpse Race's conversion could resurrect the dead. However, the resurrected were no longer the same people as before. Even their memories were blurry, and they would be extremely violent. Their cultivation bases would be lower than when they were alive. They needed an extremely powerful will and constant cultivation to reach a balance.
However, this conversion was only a normal method. There was another method that was even more heaven-defying. It was a method that would only be used by those who could enter the royal family or those who had gathered great expectations.
That was…conversion when alive!
This method was extremely painful, but it was also the most perfect way to retain one's memories. The loss of one's cultivation was also on the smaller end, but on one hand, one had to be willing, and on the other hand, the failure rate was extremely high.
The pros and cons were mixed. Not all members of the royal family or those who had gathered great expectations would choose this method.
Xu Qing's understanding of the Sea Corpse Race came from the sect's records. The Seven Blood Eyes and the Sea Corpse Race had a long-standing feud, so he naturally investigated them clearly.
This was the plan that appeared in Xu Qing's mind back then.
He wanted to create a relatively controlled life-and-death crisis for himself. When he was about to transform into the Sea Corpse Race, he would think of a way to solidify his state and put himself in a life-or-death situation. That way, he could use the Taboo magic treasure of the Seven Blood Eyes to find his magic aperture again.
The danger here was that if he failed, he would truly become a member of the Sea Corpse Race and might even die.
"Xu Qing, have you thought it through?" A calm voice rang out from the sky. It was none other than the scholar-like Peak Lord of the Third Peak of the Seven Blood Eyes.
His figure appeared in the sky and looked at Xu Qing with a solemn expression.
"Disciple has considered it carefully." Xu Qing lowered his head and spoke in a low voice.
The Third Peak's Peak Lord silently looked at Xu Qing. After a long while, he sighed softly. He could see the sorrow hidden in Xu Qing's heart. He knew the relationship between Xu Qing and Lord Sixth but he still shook his head.
"I can't allow you to do this right away. I need to ask your master." With that, the Peak Lord took out a purple jade slip and sent the information to Old Master Seventh.
Very soon, Old Master Seventh's hoarse voice rang out from the purple jade slip.
"Xu Qing, are you sure?"
"Disciple is sure!" Xu Qing's voice was resolute.
"Old Third, help my disciple." The purple jade slip was silent for a long time before Old Master Seventh sighed.
"I respect the decree of the Sect Leader." The Third Peak's Peak Lord respectfully spoke. After that, he kept the jade slip and cast a deep glance at Xu Qing.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Peak Lord, please isolate the surroundings and gather the conversion energy of the Sea Corpse Race into my body." Xu Qing calmly spoke.
Lord Third nodded. Very quickly, the eight Dao Protectors on the altar retreated. After the surroundings became empty, the light of a formation appeared and enveloped the area. After sealing the area, Xu Qing, who was sitting cross-legged on the altar, took out a black piece of wood and placed it in front of him before closing his eyes.
In the next instant, with a wave of Lord Third's hand, seven figures appeared in the sky. As soon as these seven figures appeared, they all emitted a dense aura. They were Sea Corpse Race cultivators.
Each and every one of them had the cultivation base of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. However, they all bowed their heads to Lord Third.
"Send the power of an ancestral corpse statue to the altar and turn it into the transforming power of the Sea Corpse Race," Lord Third said calmly. The conversion into the Sea Corpse Race required the special power of the Sea Corpse Race. This was their innate talent that outsiders didn't know.
The seven Sea Corpse Race cultivators were stunned when they heard this. They lowered their heads to look at the altar on the ground, but they didnâ€TMt dare to ask any more questions. They immediately formed hand seals, and under the gaze of Lord Third, one of the fourteen ancestral corpse statues let out a loud buzz.
It was the seventh ancestral corpse statue which was one the largest. As it trembled, blue light spread out.
First, it was the statue's legs, then its body, then its arms, and finally its head. When its entire body turned blue, a blue halo that was like the sea spread out from the statue and spread towards Xu Qing on the altar below.
The halo surrounded Xu Qing and the altar as it descended, slowly infiltrating his body.
Xu Qing's body trembled as a piercing pain radiated from his entire body. However, this bit of pain was nothing compared to the injuries he had experienced before.
Whether it was obtaining the merfolk race's life lantern or risking his life in the dragon carriage, the pain he had experienced far exceeded what he was experiencing now.
Hence, despite the excruciating pain, Xu Qing's expression remained the same. Gradually, the skin on his entire body turned blue. The blue was rapidly invading his entire body. His flesh, bones, meridians, magic apertures, and everything else were rapidly transforming.
At this moment, the life lanterns were useless. Only the purple crystal shook, wanting to erupt and reverse everything. However, it was forcefully suppressed by Xu Qing.
The Diamond Sect's ancestor trembled, and the shadow was also terrified.
Xu Qing's aura was rapidly disappearing. His vital signs were also decreasing greatly. However, after this decrease reached a certain level, it slowed down.
Xu Qing instinctively wasn't willing to die, especially when the purple crystal was still emanating some recovery powers no matter how much he suppressed it. It was as though it was using his body as a battlefield, dispelling the conversion intent.
"Lord Third, another ancestral corpse statue!" Xu Qing suddenly opened his eyes. A blue light shone in his eyes and his voice carried a sinister intent.
The expressions of the seven Sea Corpse Race cultivators in the sky also changed when they saw this scene. They looked at Xu Qing with grave expressions. They rarely encountered such a situation. Only the king back then had displayed a similar scene.
Lord Third fell silent and nodded after a few breaths.
"One more!"
The seven Sea Corpse Race cultivators immediately executed the order. The second ancestral corpse statue began to buzz. Blue light spread out from its body and enveloped Xu Qing.
Time passed, the conversion process had already continued for three days.
The number of statues shining with blue light had increased from two to five!
Xu Qing's life signs still hadn't reached its limit. Although it was decreasing, its speed was extremely slow.
However, Xu Qing looked like he was surrounded by an extremely dense aura of death and seemed no different from the Sea Corpse Race.
Only the flame of life in his heart was not blue yet.
The expressions of the seven Sea Corpse Race cultivators changed again. They had never encountered such a long conversion. Even their former king didn't need such a long time, nor did he need five ancestral corpse statues.
After such a long period of conversion, and with so many statues, once he was transformed into a member of the Sea Corpse Race, he would definitely be the most outstanding member of the Sea Corpse Race in its history!
"What is the Seven Blood Eyes trying to do with such a genius!"
"Make a king for our Sea Corpse Race?"
