The Immortal Kings were astonished because they hadn't expected this spirit body to possess such tremendous power. It had seized Ao Sheng with one hand and scattered Quasi-Immortal Emperor origin power with the other, helping them recover.
They couldn't help but grow curious about the spirit body, wanting to learn more about its origins and purpose.
Immortal King Wuzhong, now restored to his peak, stepped forward and asked the spirit body, "May I ask who you are, senior? Why have you helped us?"
"I am a soul body left here by Chi Yi, a Quasi-Immortal Emperor." The spirit body spoke slowly, its voice full of authority. "I have waited here for a long time, solely to stop Ao Sheng's ambition."
A Quasi-Immortal Emperor?
The Immortal Kings were all astonished. This spirit body had actually been left behind by a Quasi-Immortal Emperor.
The Immortal Kings present wore expressions of disbelief, as though they had witnessed an inconceivable existence.
Their eyes revealed deep reverence and fear, as though the spirit body embodied a power they could never match.
"A Quasi-Immortal Emperor..." one Immortal King murmured, his voice full of reverence.
"How can this be? This spirit body was left behind by a Quasi-Immortal Emperor?" another Immortal King exclaimed, eyes wide. He clearly couldn't accept it.
The power of a Quasi-Immortal Emperor defied description. His existence was like that of the ruler of heaven and earth, inspiring awe.
His aura seemed capable of shaking the entire universe, making the stars tremble and changing the color of heaven and earth. His gaze was like an abyss, unfathomable and profound, as though it could see through every secret in the world.
His power surged like a raging torrent, impossible to stop. When he struck, it was like heaven and earth collapsing—no one could stand against him. Before him, the Immortal Kings seemed so insignificant, no more than a drop in the ocean.
The power of a Quasi-Immortal Emperor was beyond anything an Immortal King could imagine.
The conversation took a turn, and the Immortal Kings stopped discussing the matter, turning instead to Ao Sheng.
Ao Sheng's ambition?
Indeed, he had fallen into darkness, gaining unparalleled power.
"Then what exactly is Ao Sheng's ambition?" Immortal King Sanqing asked. "We always thought he was simply pursuing greater power, but now it seems his aim goes far beyond that."
"Hmph, Ao Sheng's ambition is beyond anything you can imagine." A cold voice suddenly rang out, breaking Immortal King Sanqing's reverie.
Immortal King Sanqing furrowed his brows, suspicion and wariness in his eyes.
He looked around but found nothing out of the ordinary. Just as he was about to press further, a low, chilling voice suddenly sounded beside his ear, making him shiver involuntarily.
The voice seemed to come from the void, its source impossible to pinpoint. Like a blade of ice, it pierced Immortal King Sanqing's heart, filling him with a bone-deep chill.
"Hmph, Ao Sheng's ambition is beyond anything you can imagine." The voice sounded again, dripping with disdain and mockery.
Immortal King Sanqing's face turned pale at once. He felt an invisible pressure bearing down on him, leaving him almost unable to breathe.
He struggled to remain calm and asked in a low voice, "Who are you? What exactly is Ao Sheng's ambition?"
The voice fell silent for a moment, as though savoring Immortal King Sanqing's question. Then it slowly began to speak, revealing the truth behind Ao Sheng's fall into darkness.
"So that's what happened!"
Immortal King Sanqing couldn't help exclaiming.
The spirit body glanced at Immortal King Sanqing and said to him, "It seems you know the answer now."
Immortal King Sanqing looked at the spirit body and sighed deeply. He knew its words were true.
"Yes."
The reason Ao Sheng had fallen into darkness was that the Quasi-Immortal Emperor on the other side of the Boundary Sea and the Eerie Progenitors Above the Heavens had made their move again.
To seize control of a greater territory, they had been secretly plotting all along. Ao Sheng had been their pawn, used to stir up conflict in the Immortal Domain and weaken its strength.
Ao Sheng, however, wasn't content to remain a pawn. He had ambitions of his own; he longed to become the true master.
So he began plotting in secret, trying to break free of the Quasi-Immortal Emperor's and the Eerie Progenitors' control and take charge of the entire Immortal Domain.
To achieve his ambition, Ao Sheng began studying forbidden arts, digging ever deeper into the source of dark power.
Using his intelligence and formidable strength, he gradually built up his own influence in the Immortal Domain.
But as Ao Sheng's power continued to grow, the Quasi-Immortal Emperor and the Eerie Progenitors began to feel uneasy.
They realized Ao Sheng was no longer a pawn they could control, but a powerful enemy threatening their interests. So they decided to act, intending to destroy him.
Ao Sheng had tried to fight back. Though he was powerful, his opponents were no weaklings—especially since they were among the elite of the Dark Beings.
In the end, Ao Sheng's resistance failed. His body and soul fell into darkness together, and he became a Dark Immortal King, lying in wait in the Immortal Domain.
The one who had spoken telepathically was also a Quasi-Immortal Emperor, whose true body was Above the Heavens.
"My purpose here is fulfilled. It's time for me to leave."
The spirit body handed the formation imprisoning Ao Sheng over to Immortal King Sanqing.
Immortal King Sanqing took custody of Ao Sheng. Feeling the feeble power within him, he understood. He glanced at the captive Ao Sheng, his eyes filled with deep disappointment and heartache.
"Ao Sheng, you've truly disappointed me," Immortal King Sanqing said gravely, his tone tinged with helplessness and regret.
Ao Sheng fell silent, his head bowed as though burdened by a thousand-weight load.
His former brilliance and confidence vanished in an instant, replaced by endless weariness and dejection.
The victor became king; the vanquished, a bandit.
Such was the cruel law of the cultivation world, and such was the harsh reality Ao Sheng now knew all too well.
He had once thought he could defy heaven and escape the shackles of fate, but in the end, he had still fallen before an insurmountable chasm.
The light had long since gone from Ao Sheng's eyes, swallowed by darkness. His heart felt as if it had been pierced by a cold blade, leaving him in pain and numbness.
He had once thought himself powerful enough to face any challenge. Now he saw that he was still too insignificant, too powerless.
The victor stood high above, basking in the admiration and worship of the crowd, while the vanquished was like a discarded shoe, forgotten in a corner.
Ao Sheng was now tasting the bitterness of defeat. His heart was full of bitterness, yet he alone felt no regret. He knew the path of cultivation was strewn with thorns and hardships, and that victory and defeat were commonplace.
"Immortal King Sanqing, come to my Imperial City for a discussion." Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation spoke coldly, his tone carrying unquestionable authority.
His gaze was like a sharp blade, aimed straight at Immortal King Sanqing's heart.
"Very well. Let's go together."
Sanqing was an extremely arrogant man, convinced that he was one of the most powerful beings in the Immortal Domain. But after what had happened with Ao Sheng, he had no choice but to comply.
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