Chapter 576

Just as Sikong Dangniu was about to be hacked in two by Xiang Chenxing, just at this moment, a beam of white light struck Xiang Chenxing. He grimaced, stopping his body for just a brief moment. At this very moment, Sikong Dangniu activated her "Underground Escape Technique," and her figure faded from where she lay on the ground. Instantly, she reappeared beside her elder sister.

Sikong Dangniu had always been under the careful attention of her Elder Sister whenever they ran into great danger. Even when they faced the famous Purple Thunder Monster, she had escaped with the assistance of her Elder Sister. Unlike what happened at that time, the girl's face was streaked with tears. If it was not for the inappropriate scene, she probably would have buried her face into her Elder Sister's chest to weep.

Sikong Chuhe breathed a sigh of relief. She cast a grateful gaze, and just as she was about to give her thanks, she froze upon seeing her counterpart.

The one who took action was a tall and graceful woman. Her hand pinched a pure white talisman, and her expression held an air of mystery like that of mist. Her brow had a dab of cinnabar, and her expression was collected yet without mysteriousness. Furthermore, her forehead sparkled with a Star Crest, making clear the woman's identity – Star Master!

Su Yixiao's heart right now truly was somewhat frustrated.

She had always resided in seclusion at her inn in the Vermilion Bird Territory, prepared to peacefully manage her business until the moment the Star Duels ended.¹ She had not intended to join this Crystal Dragon Palace Treasure Banquet, but she had never expected to encounter Majestic Star Panther Head Lin Yingmei and Hero Star Little Li Guang Hua Wanyue later on. She was enthralled by these two great and unique martial generals, and in her heart she had great longing for them; the painting scene from that day was still vivid in her mind. The painting that day was not finished, which made Literature Star Sacred Handed Scholar Xiao Qingyan very regretful. Upon hearing that the Treasure Banquet was opening, that top-notch martial generals would inevitably appear, these two planned a trip and hurried over.

On one hand, they wanted to see Lin Yingmei and Hua Wanyue to finish their painting.

On the other, they also wanted to see this famous banquet.

By the time the rushed the thousand li from the Vermilion Bird Territory to the Crystal Dragon Palace, it was already the last day. Not only did they not see Lin Yingmei, on the contrary, they had actually fallen into the trap the White Tiger Seven Spirit Stars had lain – the Taiyi Spherical Heaven Form Array. This made Su Yixiao smile somewhat helplessly. She only wanted to peacefully run her business, right to the end of the Star Duels. She had never wanted to be drawn into the battles of Star Masters.²

When she saw that the Sikong Sisters had been trapped, these two sisters piqued Su Yixiao, so the girl took action.

"Many thanks for the rescue."

Being saved by a Star Master made Sikong Chuhe feel somewhat strange, yet her heart still brimmed with gratitude.

"The three of us must work together to face this demon." Su Yixiao gently said.

Sikong Dangniu knew Xiang Chenxing's might. Under the Taiyi Spherical Heaven Array, they could not escape. They could only fight to the death. If they put everything on the line, they still had a chance at life.

Xiang Chenxing showed a mocking expression. The man's build was tall as an iron tower. The Sikong Sisters and Su Yixiao really were weak women in his eyes, a clear contrast. "Just the three of you who overestimate yourselves?" Xiang Chenxing's knuckles cracked.

"There is also me!"

A voice as firm as iron. Another man flew over.

That man was well-groomed, an attractive appearance. His forehead had a Star Crest, and his cultivation was Supercluster Early Stage.

"Your Servant is Tai Shuwang.³ Ladies, let us for now set aside our grudges to confront this Demon Beast." The man cupped his fist and introduced himself. Seeing Li Xiangyan's wretched death to Shijiu Ying, Tai Shuwang realized the might of these White Tiger Demons. This was the first time he had run over to form a team.

Su Yixiao slightly nodded, not saying anything.

Sikong Chuhe agreed, and her gaze stopped on Xiang Chenxing.

Four Star Masters working together. Even if their cultivations were a level lower, they could still manage.

Xiang Chenxing roared, just like a tiger out of a cage. His Supercluster Peak's powerful aura nearly knocked them over. Tai Shuwang sneered, activating his sword chant and sword array. Then, he was covered in armor of black iron. A horse or ox-like black beast with a horn appeared. This was the Star Beast of Tai Shuwang's Star General.

"Heavy Black?"⁴

Sikong Chuhe was taken aback. She was quite familiar with this Star Beast. This beast's name was "Heavy Black" because its whole body was as hard as black iron, becoming famous through its armor unsurpassed under heaven. Its horn was even more indestructible, and it just happened to be somewhat useful against Xiang Chenxing.

But the Heavy Black Beast did not charge Xiang Chenxing. On the contrary, it stayed near Tai Shuwang, guarding him like the fortress walls to a city. Although they knew this behavior was due to the Star Maiden protecting her master, this made Sikong Chuhe brim with vigilance about this graceful man.

Sikong Chuhe used the Snow Woman Lantern, and her body was full of ice-cold. Her hand gripped the Frost Lance as she charged without any fear.

Sikong Dangniu also used her Flying Swords as backup.

Su Yixiao was feeble. She did not have any Flying Swords or powers, and she was not like Sikong Chuhe who was full of a martial general's bearing. The young girl's hand tugged her black hair, and a slender ray of white light like a cute living serpent wound around the girl's fingertip, producing a pure white light ball on Su Yixiao's magic weapon Loyal Heart Wonderful Brush.

This beast was named "Blank Space,"⁵ the Sacred Handed Scholar's Star Beast.

The Sacred Handed Scholar's Innate Skill was Talisman Drawing, and Blank Space could produce talisman paper and rapid-cast talismans. With this, although Su Yixiao was not forceful like Tai Shuwant or the Sikong Sisters, she brought the most trouble to Xiang Chenxing.

A talisman flew out from the the girl's fingertip.

It struck Xiang Chenxing and became various kinds of fire birds and water apes, blades and spears. Tai Shuwang's Flying Swords flashed with a black rainbow, becoming two fanged dragons. Each was seven or eight zhang long, exceptionally malevolent.

Xiang Chenxing's expression did not panic, as if he had already anticipated this attack. This giant staff slashed with a resplendent golden light. Two rays of golden light similarly changed and entangled Tai Shuwang's Flying Swords. Xiang Chenxing was pounded painfully by the talismans. Even with his body that did not lose out to a vajra, he was becoming somewhat aggravated. One hand continued to spin his staff, and he stomped with one leg. The earth quaked, knocking Sikong Chuhe away. He then slashed at Su Yixiao.

The girl's black hair fluttered. Her mysterious smile vanished, and her expression turned grim. One of her hands suddenly grabbed, and a scroll of twinkling gold light was thrown out. Immediately afterwards in this spirit light, this treasure instantly opened with a clear sound. More than a hundred ancient script characters of gold and silver flew out from the book. These scripts hovered and immediately enlarged. Then, they became countless substantive things that directly surrounded Xiang Chenxing.

This treasure was known as "Exhausted Bamboo Slats Book," a rarely seen ancient treasure. It was not to be outdone by Flying Swords.

Xiang Chenxing bellowed, and the skin on his body became as hard as iron. Golden light coiled about him endlessly. The characters from the Exhausted Bamboo Slats Book twisted, booming endlessly against him. The lights of gold and silver exploded on Xiang Chenxing's body, not only shattering the golden light surrounding Xiang Chenxing, they also knocked Xiang Chenxing into tumbling continuously away. These gold and silver characters were unexpectedly each abnormally strong.

The three of them working together in a powerful attack had obstructed a monster as invincible as Xiang Chenxing. When Tai Shuwang saw this, he was slightly overjoyed, surreptitiously increasing instantly the magic energy he imbued the Flying Swords even more.

Su Yixiao was indifferent. As she used the Exhausted Bamboo Slats Book, she also used Blank Space to gradually and endlessly spit out talismans. The Exhausted Bamboo Slats Book suddenly shuddered, and even more ancient characters spilled out from the book.

Golden light flashed. Xiang Chenxing's face was stiff as numerous talisman scripts surrounded and attacked him. Without another word, he raised his hands. The staff in his hands was his Life-cast magic weapon. The staff rose and swept away all of the characters. When Su Yixiao saw this, she could not help but be stunned.

On the other side, Sikong Dangniu did not hold back. Although she had escaped by the skin of her teeth, she hated Xiang Chenxing to the bone. She grit her teeth. Unable to abide her Elder Sister's instructions, she raised a spotlessly white and perfect mirror.

This mirror aimed and reflected the golden light around Xiang Chenxing's hard as iron body. Immediately, a pure white light beam shot out from the mirror. That golden light was unable to fegend, and upon being illuminated by the light beam, the protective golden light greatly dimmed. Even the Xiang Chenxing who possessed sturdy defenses was somewhat drained, making Tai Shuwang inwardly startled.

This "Obscuring Light Mirror"⁶ was the Sikong Sisters' trump card. It was specialized in restricting light-based abilities and was capable of absorbing them. Originally, it was prepared for use against careless Star Masters during the Fifth Phase of the Star Duels, but seeing that Xiang Chenxing was invulnerable, Sikong Dangniu did not hesitate at all.

Xiang Chenxing's four pupils looked all around. When he saw this scene, he grunted and plunged faraway, with one of his hands snapping several times. Suddenly, his giant staff boomed loudly. Fine arcs of lightning manifested on the staff.

But they were instantly destroyed.

The golden around his body was absorbed by the Obscuring Light Mirror. The talismans, Flying Swords, scripts, and sword-qi boomed down on him like a tidal wave.

When Sikong Chuhe saw that her Little Sister had used the magic weapon, she inwardly sighed, and she promptly said: "Everyone, if you have any other abilities, please use them quickly. If we let this demon manifest his True Body, we will be very misfortunate."

The words Supervoid Stage Demon Beast were enough to make them despair.

Tai Shuwang's eyes flashed with slight hesitation. In the end, he nevertheless restrained his thoughts. He mouthed an incantation, utilizing his sword array at its highest realm. Sikong Chuhe's heart was vexed that this elegant man was narrowminded, still surprisingly holding back at this time.

However, Tai Shuwang's sword array was powerful. The Flying Swords assumed a nine gates formation, layered and interlocked, providing support in and out. The "Nine Layered Absolute Destruction Sword Array" attacked Xiang Chenxing mercilessly. Immediately afterwards, Su Yixiao threw out a Supreme Grade Talisman, "Life Breaking Talisman." Xiang Chenxing's stiff expression finally showed astonishment.

The Obscuring Light Mirror broke his defenses, the Absolute Destruction Sword Array destroyed, the Life Breaking Talisman attacked, and the Snow Woman Lantern restrained. The four of them worked together, and Xiang Chenxing was immediately unable to persist.

Even a Supervoid Cultivator would inevitably die under such a concentrated assault, right?

Tai Shuwang's eyes flashed with a bright light. He suddenly dashed forward, prepared to take Xiang Chenxing's life in one stroke, to obtain the power of a Supercluster Stage Crimson Star. Sikong Chuhe's expression changed, and she cursed his stupidity.

Thunder rolled.

The vanished golden light suddenly surged into the nine firmaments. A giant Demon Beast appeared in front of everyone. That beast was covered in golden scales and a giant carapace. Its build was like a small mountain, almost like a dragon. A pair of pupils were like lanterns.

Xiang Chenxing had finally revealed his True Body to everyone under their attacks.

As Sikong Chuhe had thought, he was astonishingly a Demon Beast with extremely powerful defense.

"Luminous Golden Scorch."⁷

Those golden scales and that giant shell were nigh unbreakable. The golden armored Demon Beast's own body was a defense that even the Obscuring Light Mirror could not handle.

"Ah."

Tai Shuwang gasped in astonishment.

Xiang Chenxing bellowed, barreling forwards violently, his four hooves booming, as if he tread on thunder. A Supervoid Demon Beast's head-on aggression was powerful enough to directly frighten Tai Shuwang into freezing up. "Heavy Black" lowered its head and charged as well.

The Star Beast and Xiang Chenxing's True Body slammed into each other head-on.

Bang.

Heavy Black was surprisingly killed instantly, and the remaining force continued forth without stop onto Tai Shuwang's body. The man groaned, for his bones had all shattered, and blood leaked from his orifices. He was a miserable sight, his body seemingly a slab of rubber as he flew far away.

Even if he did not die, he would no doubt be a cripple.

Using their True Body was the greatest humiliation for every Demon Cultivator. As far as they were concerned, this was like a beautiful girl being forced to undress and bare her naked body in order to avoid calamity. Xiang Chenxing's eyes were already spouting fury. On one hand, to make a Demon Cultivator use their True Body was to say that he was out of options. On the other, this posed an even more terrifying foe to the cultivators.

Roar.

Xiang Chenxing did not hesitate to barrel towards Sikong Chuhe who was closest to him.

With a Supervoid Demon Beast's speed and strength, Sikong Chuhe was already undoubtedly dead. This time, even if Su Yixiao threw out a Life Breaking Talisman, she was already unable to change Xiang Chenxing's attack. Absolute despair instantly burst forth in Sikong Chuhe's heart, yet she worried for her little sister.

Bang.

Sikong Chuhe only felt an enormously violent astral wind launch at her. The force of the powerfully defensive Demon Beast's charge completely ran uncontested through her magic weapon defenses. Sikong Chuhe was slammed by this astral wind, and her body could not help but involuntarily fly away as she accepted this fate of death.

It seemed that when the time came for her to die, it was not as painful as she imagined. It was even somewhat gentle.

Sikong Chuhe felt that she was being hugged by a soft body.

"Elder Sister! Elder Sister!" Her little sister's worried voice reached her ears.

Sikong Chuhe opened her eyes and looked. She then discovered that Sikong Dangniu was hugging her, and that although her whole body hurt, she was nevertheless free of any wounds. "Elder Sister, we must quickly help her." Sikong Dangniu shouted.

Xiang Chenxing's True Body was stopped several chi away from Sikong Chuhe by two pieces of silk. The soft silk strips of cloth carried an inconceivable flexibility, obstructing Xiang Chenxing at the last possible moment.

She was saved by none other than Su Yixiao, once again.

The young girl's black hair fluttered, and her brow was locked tight, her expression strained. Beads of sweat slid down her forehead. The girl used all her strength to bind Xiang Chenxing. The two pieces of silk were none other than her own long sleeves.

"Sleeves Help Dance Beautifully!!"⁸

Sikong Chuhe immediately recognized the name of this power. This ability, passed down from the Heavenly Lady, fluttered the sleeves and was able to bind any hard object⁹ in the world. The power itself was magnificent, like a fairy's dance moves. Sikong Chuhe had once heard of this Sleeves Help Dance Beautifully, but in Liangshan Continent in the past, a Han Dynasty imperial family had forbidden it and gave no one information. She never expected to see it resurface.

Although Su Yixiao used Sleeves Help Dance Beautifully to constrict Xiang Chenxing, to strangle this kind of Demon beast was practically impossible. The girl could only use all her strength to stall him. That profoundly mysterious expression of hers was already somewhat grim.

Sikong Chuhe called for her little sister and decided to once again use the Yin Yang Twin Swords. Towards this Star Master who had saved her little sister and then herself, Sikong Chuhe felt extremely conflicted.

Exhausted Bamboo Slats Book.

Sleeves Help Dance Beautifully.

Just who was this somewhat mysterious woman?

For the first time, Sikong Chuhe was somewhat curious.

…

Lady Snake Scorpion recalled Savage Star Double-headed Snake Xie Diao back into the Star Nest. In the Taiyi Spherical Heaven Form Array, there was no need to let her stick around and die. She looked at the arrogant woman in front of her, and Lady Snake Scorpion showed a victor's sneer.

Die, Nine Tattooed Dragons Shi Jin!!

1. My name is Yoshikage Kira… ↩
2. Spoken like a true Yoshikage Kira… ↩
3. 太叔望 ↩
4. 重玄 ↩
5. 留白 ↩
6. 湮光鏡 ↩
7. 爍金焦 ↩
8. 長袖善舞, long sleeves help you dance beautifully, a phrase that means large enough amounts of resources will help you accomplish anything. ↩
9. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ↩