Xu Qing didn't want to wait, so the disciples immediately obeyed and led the way. It didn't take long for Xu Qing to reach the center of the fourteen Corpse Ancestor statues.
There were layers upon layers of defenses here, and at the same time, the ripples of divine will emanating from the forbidden magical item were incredibly powerful. As they swept out, the forbidden magical item would be able to detect anything amiss.
Furthermore, there were numerous spell formations, as well as innumerable magical items, all of which formed a dense blockade that caused even the air to solidify. Xu Qing's mind trembled as he sensed the situation.
Eventually, Xu Qing caught sight of an enormous octagonal altar in the very center of the fourteen statues, which was located at the very bottom of the Seven Blood Eyes bronze mirror.
Seated at each of the eight corners of the altar were Cultivators, whose cultivation bases gave Xu Qing the feeling that they were at least at the Gold Core stage with two Heavenly Palaces. As soon as Xu Qing neared, the eight Cultivators opened their eyes.
When they looked at Xu Qing, their eyes shone with strange light. Instead of pretending to be Dharma Protectors, they rose to their feet and bowed courteously to Xu Qing.
They were no strangers to Xu Qing, and knew that he could step into the Gold Core stage at any time. Once he did, he would instantly form two Heavenly Palaces. They couldn't treat someone like that as an ordinary disciple.
Xu Qing returned the salute courteously and then stepped onto the altar.
On the way here, he had learned from the jade slip that Lord Seventh had given him how to use the forbidden magical item. He could do it alone, but if he wanted to activate the forbidden magical item at full power, he would need the help of others.
Xu Qing took a deep breath. Stepping onto the altar, he walked to the very center position, where he sat down cross-legged. He looked up at the majestic ancient mirror, then looked away. His hands flashed in an incantation gesture, and then he pushed them down onto the two altars.
The Gold Core Dharma Protectors knew what their mission was, and they all performed incantation gestures and pushed their hands down onto the altars.
Instantly, the altars began to rumble, and a beam of light shot up into the air from where Xu Qing was sitting. The light was so intense that Xu Qing's figure began to grow blurry. A moment later, the beam of light shot up into the sky.
Next, the eight Dharma protectors performed incantation gestures, causing light to shoot out from their locations. The eight beams of light were crimson, and when they merged with the light coming from Xu Qing, they turned into a blood-colored light that shot toward the ancient mirror.
The ancient mirror suddenly shuddered. Slowly, it stopped spinning left and right, and gradually leveled itself so that the mirror was facing Xu Qing.
After the red light surged in, it turned into a refracted light in the next instant and abruptly fell to the ground. It overlapped with the incoming light and once again enveloped Xu Qing's body.
Xu Qing's body trembled violently. He felt a heaven-shaking might. At the same time, his body seemed to turn transparent. 120 spell apertures transformed into light dots, and they were very clear.
This made it easier for him to search for the 121st cultivation aperture. Thus, he retracted his divine sense and began to search within his body.
However, the process was not very smooth. After about twenty breaths of time, the light dimmed and gradually dissipated. Xu Qing sat there cross-legged with his eyes closed. After a moment, he opened them, and a look of regret appeared on his face.
He did not find it.
"Dharma protectors, I'll have to trouble you to do it again," said Xu Qing politely.
The eight Dharma protectors smiled and nodded. They performed incantation gestures again, and soon another beam of light was formed. The ancient mirror also refracted light. Xu Qing, who was familiar with this feeling, immediately began to search for a new cultivation aperture.
However, this time, he still failed.
Xu Qing frowned. As the light dissipated, he thought of what his master had said. In the past, the people who had opened 121 cultivation apertures had mostly found their cultivation apertures in a moment of life and death.
"Sure enough, I'm still missing that moment of life and death," muttered Xu Qing as he thought of his previous plan.
This plan was a bit crazy, and there was a moment of life and death. However, Xu Qing no longer hesitated. He stood up and bowed toward the sky.
"Third Lord, disciple Xu Qing requests for the Sea Corpse Clan's … Life and Death Transformation!"
As soon as Xu Qing spoke, the expressions of the eight Dharma protectors changed.
The transformation of the Sea Corpse Clan could bring the dead back to life. However, the resurrected person was no longer from the same clan as before. Even their memories would be blurred, and they would become extremely ferocious. Their cultivation base would also not be as strong as when they were alive. It required an extremely powerful will and constant cultivation to reach a balance.
However, this transformation was only a normal method. There was another method that was even more heaven-defying. It was a method that only the future royal family or those with great expectations would use.
That was … the transformation of the living!
While this method was extremely painful, it was also the best way to preserve one's memories. The loss to one's cultivation base was also smaller. However, on one hand, it needed to be voluntary, and on the other hand, the failure rate was extremely high.
There were both pros and cons. Not all future royal family members or those with great expectations would choose this method.
Xu Qing's understanding of the Sea Corpse Clan came from the sect's files. The Seven Blood Pupils had a feud with the Sea Corpse Clan, so they naturally investigated them thoroughly.
This was the plan that appeared in Xu Qing's mind.
He wanted to artificially create a relatively controllable life and death crisis to allow himself to be transformed. The moment he was about to transform into a Sea Corpse Clan member, he would find a way to freeze his state and put himself between life and death. This way, he would be able to use the forbidden treasure of the Seven Blood Pupils to find his own spell aperture again.
The danger here was that once he failed, he would truly transform into a Sea Corpse Clan member and even have a chance of dying.
"Xu Qing, have you thought it through?"
A calm voice came from the sky. It was the scholar-like peak master of the third peak of the Seven Blood Pupils.
His figure appeared in the sky and he looked at Xu Qing with a serious expression.
Xu Qing lowered his head and said, "Disciple has thought it through."
The peak master of the third peak silently looked at Xu Qing. After a while, he let out a sigh. He could see the sadness hidden in Xu Qing's body. He knew about the relationship between Xu Qing and the Sixth Master, but he still shook his head.
"I can't agree to this right away. I have to ask your master."
With that, the peak master of the third peak took out a purple jade and sent everything here to the Seventh Master of the alliance.
Soon, the Seventh Master's hoarse voice came from the purple jade.
"Xu Qing, are you sure?"
"Disciple is sure!" Xu Qing said with decisiveness that could sever nails and chop iron.
The purple jade was silent for a long time before the Seventh Master sighed. "Old Third, help my disciple."
The peak master of the third peak respectfully said, "Yes, Sect Master." Then he put away the jade and gave Xu Qing a deep look.
"What do you need me to do?"
Xu Qing's expression was calm as he said, "Peak Master, please seal off the area and gather the power of the Sea Corpse Clan's transformation into my body."
The peak master of the third peak nodded. Soon, the eight Dharma Protectors on the altar all left, leaving the area empty. The light of a spell formation appeared, covering the area and sealing it. Sitting cross-legged on the altar, Xu Qing took out a black piece of wood and placed it in front of him. Then he closed his eyes.
In the next moment, the peak master of the third peak waved his hand, and seven figures appeared in the sky. As soon as they appeared, they all exuded a strange aura. They were none other than Sea Corpse Clan Cultivators.
Each of them had a Nascent Soul cultivation base, but after they appeared, they all bowed their heads to the peak master of the third peak.
"Transform the power of a Corpse Ancestor statue into a Sea Corpse Clan member," said the peak master of the third peak.
The transformation of the Sea Corpse Clan required the special power of the Sea Corpse Clan. It was an innate gift that outsiders didn't have.
When the seven Sea Corpse Clan Cultivators heard this, they were stunned. They all looked down at the altar, but didn't dare to ask any questions. They immediately performed incantation gestures, and under the gaze of the peak master of the third peak, one of the fourteen Corpse Ancestor statues began to emit a monstrous buzzing sound.
It was the seventh Corpse Ancestor statue, and also one of the largest. As it trembled, a blue light spread out from within.
First, it was the statue's legs, then its torso, then its arms, and finally its head. When its entire body turned blue, a blue halo spread out from within the statue and spread out toward Xu Qing, who was on the altar below.
The halo curled up, and the moment it fell down, it enveloped Xu Qing and the altar, slowly seeping into his body.
Xu Qing's body trembled as a piercing pain came from all over his body. However, this pain was nothing compared to the injuries he had experienced in the past.
Whether it was when he obtained the Life Lantern in the Mermaid Clan or when he fought for his life in the giant dragon carriage, the pain he had experienced was far greater than what he was experiencing now.
That was why even though the pain was excruciating, Xu Qing's expression remained as calm as ever. Gradually, his skin turned blue, and the blue color rapidly invaded his entire body. His flesh, blood, bones, meridians, Dharma apertures, and everything else was rapidly being transformed.
At this moment, the Life Lantern was useless. Only the Violet Crystal was trembling, as if it wanted to erupt with power to reverse all of this, but Xu Qing firmly suppressed it.
The Vajra Sect's Patriarch was trembling, and the shadow was terrified.
Xu Qing's aura was rapidly dissipating, and the signs of his life were rapidly decreasing. However, after a certain point, the decrease slowed down.
Xu Qing's body instinctively refused to die, especially the Violet Crystal. No matter how much Xu Qing suppressed it, it would still emit the power of recovery. It was as if his body was the battlefield, and it was dispersing the will of the transformation.
Xu Qing's eyes suddenly opened, and they shone with a blue light. His voice carried a chill wind as he said, "Third Lord, give me another Corpse Ancestor statue!"
This scene caused the expressions of the seven Sea Corpse Clan cultivators in the sky to change. They looked at Xu Qing with a serious expression. They rarely encountered such a situation. Only the Emperor had experienced something like this before.
The Peak Lords of the three Peaks were silent for a few breaths of time before nodding.
"Give me another one!"
The seven Sea Corpse Clan cultivators immediately carried out the order. Immediately, the second Corpse Ancestor statue buzzed. After the blue light spread out, it suddenly spread out and enveloped Xu Qing.
Time passed. The transformation took longer and longer. Three days went by.
The statues shining with blue light had increased from two to five!
However, Xu Qing's signs of life still hadn't reached the limit. Although they were still decreasing, the speed was extremely slow.
However, Xu Qing, who was sitting there cross-legged, was surrounded by an extremely dense aura of death. He was no different from the Sea Corpse Clan from head to toe.
Only the flame of life in his heart wasn't blue.
All of this caused the seven Sea Corpse Clan cultivators' expressions to change once again. They had never encountered such a long transformation. Even their former Emperor didn't need this long, and he didn't need five Corpse Ancestor statues.
After such a long transformation, with so many statues, once Xu Qing was transformed into a member of the Sea Corpse Clan, he would definitely be the most outstanding person in the Sea Corpse Clan in countless years!
"What does the Seven Blood Pupils want to do with such a genius?!"
"Create an Emperor for our Sea Corpse Clan?"