Chapter 82
108 Maidens of Destiny
A wooden boat split open the blue sky, the blue atmosphere raging; even the speed of Riding Sword Flying would eat the dust of the boat. A well-trimmed young man stood at the very front of the boat, his eyes erupting pure light. Pinching his hands together in a seal, he steadily imbued Star Energy into the boat. The powerful Star Energy made this ordinary Wind Swayed Raft glisten with green light, brilliantly dazzling the eyes.
He was Su Xing. Ever since he received An Suwen's Thousand Li Emergency Sound Transmission,1 Su Xing maintained all his magic energy to fly the Wind Swayed Raft for several hours already, its speed putting others to shame. A fierce, protective Spirit Energy formed a barrier that covered up the violent tailwind kicked up by the hurried flight. Two beautiful ladies stood guard all around, their eyes exceptionally cold.
"Xinjie, it seems you aren't stopping me this time?" Su Xing gazed at the imposing Knowledge Star, pretending to be relaxed as he asked. To go on this trip, that was a narrow escape, and this would be Su Xing's most grim challenge since he arrived at Liangshan Continent. The Blooming Water Sword Sect had set up a troop formation, waiting for him to walk right into the trap. One could imaging the vicious danger that lay inside; one man opposing one sect, that was wishful thinking. It would definitely make Su Xing into an ostrich that buried its head that this was something even he absolutely could not accomplish.
Let alone, Su Xing was still somewhat confident.
"Xinjie won't play the role of the strict parent." The Knowledge Star winked. She was fully aware of her Master's nature. Fleeing before a battle, that definitely would never happen. Moreover, she also felt the Thief Star being captured by the Blooming Water Sword Sect was because of them. From sentiment and reason, what harm was there in helping her out once.
"Little Sister Yingmei's Star Weapon is already One Star. This just so happens to allow Yingmei to train." The Knowledge Star held the Heaven Concealing Star Feather Fan in her hand,2 a card up their sleeves, planning victory from a thousand li away, it seemed.
"Save Shi Yuan then escape, that's it." Su Xing nodded. He was not arrogant enough to get rid of a Supercluster Cultivator currently.
The two girls nodded.
After a few hours, they arrived near Grindstone Mountain, vaguely making out a lightly colored barrier.
Grindstone Mountain was silent, where not even a bird's cry was heard. They did not know either how many vicious dangers lay hidden in that forest. Wu Xinjie waved the Heaven Concealing Star Fan, and a copper light moved about. The Yellow Rank Magic, "Think then Act" sprinkled a green light, then with a shake of the feather fan, that serene light swept open and covered Grindstone Mountain.
After a moment, it passed through, seeing one after the other a hundred cultivators, and the highest cultivation was a Supercluster Early Stage. The Blooming Water Sword Sect Ancestor Baili came, as expected. In addition to him, there were two thorny Star Masters.
"Young Master, careful. Remember to use Divine Intent at the very beginning." Wu Xinjie said thus and thus.
"En."
Su Xing let Wu Xinjie hide in the Star Nest, and exchanging firm looks with Lin Yingmei, with a step of his foot, the Wind Swayed Raft dropped into the barrier.
Grindstone Mountain.
This time, altogether, came seventy Blooming Water Sword Sect disciples, all of their cultivations at Stardust Late Stage.
Compared with the Blooming Water Sword Sect, Gong Xu's Thousand Machine Gang was somewhat lacking in resources. Fifty Thousand Machine Gang disciples each called out a Mechanical Beast, their hands grasping Puppet Banners, laying out an Eight Doors Mechanism Magic Circle.3
Chen Zhonglin: "Fellow Gong Xu, shouldn't your Star General come out?"
A gold light fantastically emerged; it was the golden armored, light-colored shirt Song Jia. Her forehead had a solemn Buddhist aura, making the Blooming Water Sword Sect disciples and others to be endlessly shocked. Even Ancestor Baili's eyelids jumped.
Song Jia coldly glanced at Tong Yao.
"With this sort of troop arrangement, how could Lin Chong dare come. Even if she dared, her Master would not necessarily dare to do so." Song Jia opened her mouth to speak.
"There's no helping it if they don't come. Although Shi Qian's lacks meat, it's enough to be satisfied for a time." Tong Yao's appearance was giddy, her eyes crafty.
"Hmph!"
"Don't waste your energies scheming. Use your brain to think, and you will realize what Star Master would take risks for a Star General for the sake of no good reason. If you want to kill, kill me quickly, alright? I'm sick of this." Shi Yuan seized the chance to shout. She deliberately was all smile: "That Gong whatever? The Divine Machine Clan's Mo Attack Mechanism Records is very interesting. Recorded inside are many powerful mechanisms. If it was any other. Sword. Sect. That obtained it, it definitely would be like a tiger that has grown wings."
Gong Xu's complexion changed, shouting: "Thief Star, cease your provocations." He nervously shot a glance over at the Ancestor Baili freely tinkering with the Astral Gemstone he obtained from Shi Qian. His expression was light, so it was not known if he had heard her words just now.
"What this Young Lady said was the truth." How could Shi Yuan miss the opportunity to sow dissension in their ranks.
"This Young Lady says, it would be better for the Blooming Water Sword Sect to cleanly dispose of the Thousand Machine Gang right here. I'll hand this Mechanical Great Technique over to you. How about if this Young Lady goes and steals your True Technique back? The person you're waiting for won't come anyways, and here right now is an obedient Devil Star."
"Little SIster Shi Qian, do you want Sister to send you back to the Liangshan Maiden right now?!"
Seeing her spit out her own Star Number, the Devil Star Song Jia brought out her Vajra's Evil Smiting Sword. Pointing it at Shi Qian, the rays of light on the sword permeated the whole place, fleeting incessantly.
"Song Wan, you have no need to receive this Shi Qian's influence." Tong Yao was indifferent: "She is only struggling on her deathbed."
"Then you all can just wait slowly wait here." Shi Yuan objected.
"They've come!!"
Ancestor Baili put away the Astral Gemstone, spitting out two ice-cold words. He looked at Shi Yuan, carrying a sort of holier than thou victorious attitude: "It seems his and your relationship is not shallow."
Shi Yuan went blank.
A green light flit across the sky, hovering in midair.
It shook everyone present for a scare. Every disciple mobilized their techniques. Flying swords and mechanical beasts began to stir. Confronting the Majestic Star of legends, even Ancestor Baili did not dare to be the slightest bit careless.
"I did not expect them to really come." Chen Zhonglin was shocked, subsequently hinting to Tong Yao.
The girl did not hold back her Jade Water Turtle Dragon Trident, grasping it firmly.
The Devil Star Song Jia held her Vajra's Evil Smiting Sword tightly, her expression grim.
Even if it was Lin Chong, two Star Generals grasping One Star Heavenly Weapons were not that easy to deal with.
"Release her!!"
Su Xing specially added Star Energy, his voice like rolling thunder, resounding through the Grindstone Mountain, looking down from on high. Vaguely, there was a sort of frightening intention, a Divine Intent pressuring downwards towards the ground.
Shi Yuan was dazed.
Ancestor Baili did not mind her at this time, laughing heartily of his own accord: "Admirable, admirable. As expected, Lin Chong's master is a seriously loyal man. Fully aware this is a dragon's pond and a tiger's den, and you still dare to not be shirked without dishonor,4 too admirable. You are the kind of Star Master this old man likes…because only this way can you die quickly."
Around Ancestor Baili's whole body floated several Thunder Water Flowers, his gaze keenly staring towards Su Xing. Nearly at the same time, Su Xing also stared towards him, the two people's gazes locking. Su Xing only felt a boundless Divine Intent attack him, like an unstoppable, surging pressure that made it hard for him to breathe.
"Hmph!" Su Xing inwardly sneered. Ancestor Baili unexpectedly wanted to use Divine Intent to overwhelm him. If it was an ordinary Star Cultivator, falling would have been fine, after all, a Nebula Middle Stage and a Supercluster Stage cultivation's realms differed too greatly. No need to mention using Divine Intent, just that magic energy's imposing manner could make Nebula Cultivators collapse.
But who was Su Xing? The man that contracted the ranked third Knowledge Star and the ranked sixth Majestic Star. Regarding a Star Energy's robustness, his ocean of consciousness was even sturdier. Without hesitation, he maneuvered his Divine Intent to pressure back.
Bang!
The two incorporeal Divine Intents touched each other in midair, unexpectedly exploding into a ball of violent whirlwind. Su Xing stood atop the boat’s bow, only feeling the opposition's Divine Intent as vast and tenacious, more eager than any of the Star Cultivator's he had encountered by a hundredfold. Only naturally, Ancestor Baili was a Supercluster Cultivator; regarding boundaries, he was the most powerful foe that Su Xing had run into. Ancestor Baili's Divine Intent was like a tide of ten thousand stampeding horses. Even Su Xing was slightly unable to resist.
The immense, formless strength rushed and bubbled over. After all, Su Xing was only Nebula Middle Stage. Being able to not fall over immediately already made the people below very much shocked. Su Xing had been shook by the Divine Intent that he took a few steps back. Luckily, the Absolute Sincerity Soul Technique unloaded this power.
Although Divine Intent was formless and not unique, an unreal thing, reaching the Supercluster realm of Ancestor Baili, the Star Energy inside his body was truly vast as an ocean, waves galloping continuously. Once Divine Intent was released, did it not flow like a substance akin to mercury. His Divine Sight's telekinesis was not the slightest bit inferior to a Star Cultivator's artifact, perhaps even stronger. Usually, great cultivators' imposing manners' release being able to pressure everywhere was because of this logic.
The berserk whirlwind ripped open the air, the air flow brought about bubbled and shot everywhere. In a moment, a bizarre hissing sound resounded continuously. The chaotic airflow was like an approaching, severely strict sword qi closing in on everyone present from far away. The hundred disciples already were pressured to the point of no longer breathing, the sword array immediately collapsing by itself.
"Very incredible, worthy of being able to contract the Majestic Star. Directly facing the Ancestral Master's Divine Intent attack and even standing firm." Chen Zhonglin secretly admired. He felt it was strenuous.
Gong Xu's expression was unsightly. Only Star Masters that harmonized each other's Star Energies could resist this Divine Intent. He sized up well the Wind Swayed Raft, always feeling that something was not quite right.
Su Xing's complexion was increasingly unsightly, his entire body trembling incessantly, about to collapse at any time.
"I'll bring you down just like this." Ancestral Baili's imposing manner burst forth, his Divine Intent focused and pressed down upon Su Xing, just as if he was pinned by the Five Sacred Mountains.
The foreheads of Lin Yingmei, who was at his side, and Su Xing flickered forth a dazzling Star Crest. The Star General's Star Energy resonated, only barely letting Su Xing hang on. Ancestor Baili howled with laughter. A Nebula Star Cultivator unexpectedly competed fiercely with him in Divine Intents; it seems the man Lin Chong found was only so.
Su Xing violently spat out a great mouthful of blood, the bloody mist drifting through the air. His expression was more and more unbearable, and Shi Yuan's voice was seemingly filled to the brim with sobbing: "Idiot, hurry and run!!!!!"
The Wind Swayed Raft in the sky shook and was already beginning to fall apart. It looked as if Su Xing was no longer able to resist, when suddenly at this moment, Ancestor Baili saw that this man unexpectedly smiled?
He unexpectedly smiled???
"Not good!! We fell into a trap, quickly call Senior to stop!!" Gong Xu suddenly shouted loudly.
"What did you say?"
Chen Zhonglin stared blankly.
Boom!
Densely packed Thunder Fire Bullets suddenly flew out from the forest, giving rise to an enormous explosion under the pressure of Divine Intent; a figure flew out.
"Hmph, only realizing now is already too late."
That beautiful figure, white-handed, was spry and lively as she danced as she wished. Several hundred talismans fluttered about Grindstone Mountain like butterflies that filled the sky. Interlocking Explosion, Wind Kill, and Water Arrow covered the area without warning.
The hundred disciples already had been pressured breathless by the Ancestor's Divine Intent, and now suddenly receiving this attack, there simply was not enough time to react. Looking on helplessly at the Thunder Fire Bullets, the hundred talismans rushed and covered their faces.
Boom!
A blaze reached the sky, and the earth quaked as the mountains shook.
At this time, only now did Chen Zhonglin understand the meaning of Gong Xu's words.
Who was this girl?!
He was overwhelmed with shock.
- 千里緊急傳音 ↩
- 遮天星斗羽扇, the raws say this, but this has never come up before. ↩
- 八門機關陣法 ↩
- Basically choosing to follow through on duties, even if it's a bad choice. ↩