Chapter 9
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Chapter 9: The Ancient Starry Sky Road Is Right Beneath Our Feet!
This fire is not an ordinary fire.
It is the Death Flame that was born from the Dark Abyss!
It is icy cold, merciless, and ruthless.
However, mixed with the resentment and anger from Xu Pan’s heart, it transformed from a verdant green to a mysterious shade of purple.
This hue of purple was no ordinary one.
It was akin to the grandest dance one performs before death.
Once the flames had completely extinguished, the life of the person whose face had been illuminated by the fiery light, would also be taken away completely.
Although not well-known, Xingluo Fortress is considered one of the top sects in the East Divine Land in terms of strength, as they rarely meddle in external affairs.
How could the protection magic array of this long-standing sect be anything but extraordinary?
However, under the invasion of the purple sky fire, the Great Magic Array of Stars trembled almost instantaneously.
The trembling, like the surging waves, instantly spread throughout the entirety of Xingluo Fortress. The towering buildings in the shipyard only held on for a moment before cracking open countless fissures and then collapsing with a mighty roar.
Such a commotion immediately caught the attention of everyone in Xingluo Fortress.
"Who is causing trouble?"
"Bold and reckless bandits!"
Accompanied by one after another stern shout, numerous blue figures flew out of various buildings.
No one answered them, and what awaited them was a more fierce bombardment of heavenly fire.
Meanwhile, the green curtain floating in the sky pushed towards Xingluo Fortress like a bulldozer.
Its speed was not fast, yet under its pressure, the Great Magic Array of Stars, which was bellied and round like a moist hemisphere, concaved in.
Just as if someone was pressing down with a massive finger.
This scene was extremely terrifying.
"What?"
"The Great Magic Array of Stars…"
The Magic Array Masters at Xingluo Fortress were almost stunned.
The arriving sect leader furrowed his brows and looked around.
Where is the enemy?
No one knows.
The whole world was filled with a chilly murderous intent, to the point that no one could trace the enemy based on their murderous intent.
"The magic array is about to break!"
Bu Qingxiao suddenly exclaimed.
Unlike the others, her gaze remained fixed on the green curtain.
It is the "Tao" born from the combination of life and death.
This is a power that far exceeds the understanding of the people in the lower realm. No matter how much the people of Xingluo Fortress struggle, it is all in vain.
The Great Magic Array of Stars, which had once given them a sense of safety, has now turned into a prison of death.
There is no room for error.
Even if her father is not here, she can use this as an opportunity to find him.
Bu Qingxiao’s rare excitement arose.
Compared to her, the eldest princess was not so calm.
"It has already started, should we go out now?"
A new task appeared before Bai Lian’s eyes.
[Task 1: Let me have a look, without doing anything. (Reward: the top-tier Spirit Tool – Jade Spring Sword)]
[Task 2: Full of confidence, said "Let’s go together!" (Reward: Hard Skill +14)]
[Task 3: Wait until both sides have fought an intense battle before intervening. (Reward: Focus +13)]
Goodness gracious.
Bai Lian’s eyes immediately lit up when she saw Task 3.
Xu Pan and the Lord of Reincarnation are not good people, and Xingluo Fortress is no exception.
She didn’t want to help anyone, even wanted to beat them all up.
This task spoke to her heart.
It’s good when dogs bite each other. She enjoys watching dogs fight.
Bite its neck!
Hold its head down!
Kick its dick!
However, Bai Lian cannot afford to appear too schadenfreude.
While the name of the Saint was not what she desired, reaching this point has brought her many advantages.
If her hard-earned reputation were tarnished by a trivial matter, it would be a great loss.
Therefore, with a serious expression on her face, Bai Lian said, "We don’t have to rush. Xu Pan and the Lord of Reincarnation haven’t shown up yet, and if we scare them away by rashly going out, it will be difficult to find them again."
The eldest princess nodded.
Qing Luan and Yu Ying didn’t care much.
They listened to Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian.
Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian asked them to climb the mountain, and they climbed it.
If Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian asked them to go to the sea, they would go to the sea!
With Qing Luan’s wings enveloping them, everyone silently watched everything in front of them.
Ji Shang, the sect leader of Xingluo Fortress, is also known as Frost Order Taoist.
According to the account of the eldest princess, Ji Shang is the most gifted person in Xingluo Fortress.
Only at the age of more than one hundred years did he successfully step into the peak of the Transcendency Stage.
According to the previous practice of Xingluo Fortress, Ji Shang should jump into the starry sky before his Guafeng Disaster arrives, following in the footsteps of countless predecessors to search for the Ancient Starry Sky Road.
But he took a different path.
He braved the Guafeng Disaster, but didn’t choose to ascend.
Ji Shang did so because he didn’t agree with the ideas of many predecessors of Xingluo Fortress.
The Ancient Starry Sky Road?
What’s so good about finding something like that!
Even if they really found that road and moved Xingluo Fortress to the Immortal World, what use would it be?
The strength of Xingluo Fortress is not enough to even be the gatekeeper for Immortals.
Rather be the leader of the chickens than the tail of the phoenix.
Ji Shang, who grew up in Xingluo Fortress, has the ambition to completely change it.
If the predecessors of Xingluo Fortress had not done such foolish things from the beginning and instead managed the sect diligently, Xingluo Fortress would not have been dominated by Heluo Country.
Even though it cannot compare to the four major sects, it will not be far behind.
Even if it means sacrificing his own life, he will lead Xingluo Fortress to climb to the peak of this world.
Just like the position in which Xingluo Fortress currently finds itself.
[The place where we are is the closest to the stars!]
Burning.
Ji Shang burned everything he had with all his might.
There is something more important than life.
In Ji Shang’s hands, the name of that something is called faith.
"I believe it is precisely because of this idea that Xingluo Fortress has been keeping an eye on Heluo Country," sighed the eldest princess.
Ambition requires a sufficient amount of strength to match it.
Clearly.
In the game "The Battle of the Gods", Ji Shang’s fate is far inferior to that of Xu Pan and Marquis Wu’an!
In the game, he didn’t even qualify as a rival to the fourth Martial Sister.
"Without reason, disturbing my Xingluo Fortress, I shall send you to the Nine Abyss and subject you to endless torture!"
Ji Shang rushed out, his face filled with anger, trying to repair the Great Magic Array of Stars with the power of the gathered elders of the sect.
But all of this was in vain.
After a light popping sound, the depression on the magic array finally broke through. From that point of rupture, a web-like network of cracks spread out in all directions.
The enormous square of Xingluo Fortress resounded with a deafening clamor.
"It’s… it’s cracked open!"
"Ah… it’s so hot…"
"This is too large, I am simply incapable of withstanding it!"
"Master, save me!"
Amidst the clamor, there was a mixed voice of weeping.
When the great magic array finally broke apart, countless fireballs fell on the various buildings of Xingluo Fortress, flames raging and burning with no visible end to its extinguishing.
Ji Shang was all too familiar with this scene.
Isn’t this just like a meteor shower?
But how could a meteor shower penetrate Xingluo Fortress’s great magic array?
"No!"
Ji Shang roared angrily.
He watched in horror as several of his most promising disciples were turned into ashes by heavenly fire, unable to even cry for help.
How could this happen? How could this happen? How could this happen?
Ji Shang’s heart was bleeding.
Seeds.
They are the seeds he had carefully sown for the sect!
They had shown talents as strong as his since childhood, and as long as they grew up, they would surely make Xingluo Fortress’ strength soar greatly.
But they were killed so easily.
In the blink of an eye, while he was attempting to discern the identity of his foe.
They passed by like a gust of wind.
This was equivalent to the sky collapsing for Ji Shang.
"Die!" Ji Shang roared in anger, his face contorted, "I want you to suffer and die!"
A terrifying aura emanated from him, and even the confident Bai Lian was taken aback.
Can she really defeat Ji Shang in combat?
Bai Lian felt fortunate.
It was a good thing she didn’t act recklessly and instead chose to observe from the sidelines.
What made her even more uneasy was that Ji Shang, who had such a terrifying breath, was unable to stop the descending sky fire. He only managed to hold up the barrier for less than ten breaths before it shattered again.
Is this the prelude to despair?
Ji Shang widened his eyes.
He couldn’t rescue them in time, only allowing more screams to sound around him.
Even the powerful sect leader and the towering buildings cannot bring peace to people’s minds, as no matter where they hide, death seems to be targeting on them.
A cultivator, riding on a Flying Sword, soared up into the sky, surrounded by a stream of light feathers that extended for dozens of miles, launching an attack toward the void.
However, before he flew out of the Great Magic Array of Stars, which originally shrouded him, a beam of light shot out from the green curtain and completely evaporated him.
His soul didn’t dissipate at the first moment.
He still wanted to escape, but after several breaths under the entanglement of the green light, he was dragged to an invisible place.
"Second elder!"
Ji Shang shouted again, his eyes widened in anger, and the sword in his hand was crushed.
The strength of the second elder was not at the top in Xingluo Fortress, but he was the die-hard supporter personally groomed by him.
They worked together for hundreds of years, resisting countless pressures, before gradually changing the mindset of Xingluo Fortress.
First the seeds were destroyed, now the fertilizers are being removed.
Die die die…
Countless words "die" emerged in Ji Shang’s mind.
He could no longer suppress his heart, so he gathered his strength and was about to fly out to fight with Xu Pan and the others.
But just then, someone grabbed his hand.
The force was strong.
He turned around and saw that it was the Great Elder.
The Great Elder’s face was grave as he stared at him firmly, "Sect Leader, now is not the time for impulse. Let the others retreat first, otherwise, the centuries-old accumulation of Xingluo Fortress will be destroyed in an instant!"
These words were like a bucket of cold water that instantly woke Ji Shang up.
He looked around in confusion.
Under the reflection of the purple flames were numerous terrified faces, and there were even people shouting, "If I knew earlier, I wouldn’t have joined Xingluo Fortress."
Ji Shang clenched his fists tightly, unaware that his fingernails were digging into his flesh.
His hands and feet trembled continuously, as if he was suffering from a serious illness.
After a while, his body suddenly relaxed, as if he had crossed some critical threshold.
"The Great Elder, you are right," he said.
Ji Shang smiled, and an unusual flush appeared on his face.
Then he turned and flew towards the disciples, speaking as he flew.
"Open the ‘Candlestick’ in the dock first and let all the young disciples take shelter inside!"
"…"
The Great Elder pursed his lips slightly.
Anyone who is not blind can see that something is wrong with Ji Shang now.
However, faced with the invisible enemy, he has no power to pay attention to these things anymore.
"Quickly, let’s all act."
…
The "Candlestick" is not a candlestick, but the "power room" of Xingluo Fortress.
It is located in the deepest part of Xingluo Fortress, and the outer layer is made of Silver Star Rock, which can withstand the full attack of a Transcendency Stage cultivator without breaking.
Watching the last disciple successfully step into the Candlestick, the Great Elder let out a sigh of relief.
There is no need to be distracted by taking care of these young disciples. Dealing with the enemy will be much easier for them.
"Sect leader, I have already…"
The Great Elder who turned around to speak suddenly froze.
He saw a figure standing opposite Ji Shang, with much of his body hidden in the shadows. Despite this, he recognized the person at a glance.
Because he was too familiar.
"Marquis Wu”an!"
The anger surged in the Great Elder’s heart immediately.
Marquis Wu’an has been missing for a long time, and he suddenly appeared here. There is no need to think too much about the reason, the disaster just now must have been caused by him.
In addition to anger, the Great Elder was also stunned.
His impression of Marquis Wu’an was that while he was indeed strong, he could not have easily broken through Xingluo Fortress’s protective magic array. Only the top experts of the four major sects could achieve such a feat.
If Marquis Wu’an was truly that strong, then sects like the Duxian sect with whom he had grievances would have long been wiped out by him.
A cold gaze swept over, but only lingered for a moment.
This moment was enough to make the Great Elder’s heart frost over.
Marquis Wu’an turned back, gazing at Ji Shang with a smile that was not quite a smile.
"Excellent, very excellent…"
Ji Shang burst into laughter towards Marquis Wu’an.
Marquis Wu’an said, "This is just an appetizer, the main course is still being prepared."
Ji Shang squinted his eyes and asked, "Are you trying to seek revenge?"
"Exactly," Marquis Wu’an admitted generously.
The struggle for the throne of Heluo Country brought tragedy to Xu Pan’s sister.
Ji Shang was one of the more than ten members of Xingluo Fortress who ambushed and attacked Xu Pan’s younger sister. At that time, he had not taken over the position of sect leader yet. He saw that fight as an attempt to turn the tide for Xingluo Fortress.
He was about to succeed, but the stunningly beautiful woman completely disrupted his plan.
If it weren’t for the former sect leader’s cherishing of his talent, he would have had no chance of becoming the sect leader of Xingluo Fortress.
At this moment.
Ji Shang smiled and said, "Just you and Xu Pan dare to challenge my Xingluo Fortress?"
Marquis Wu’an stood with his hands behind his back.
His face was stern, as cold as a knife, and with only a slight furrow of his brow, he exhibited a power that could subdue all.
Two people?
"The two of us are sufficient."
His voice was neither loud nor soft, but just enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
It was this very face that deeply imprinted itself in Yu Ying’s mind.
She trembled slightly around Bai Lian’s waist.
Noticing the abnormality, Bai Lian immediately pressed her hand down and gently grasped the hilt of Yu Ying Sword.
The burning heat and icy coldness mingled in the palm of her hand, and Yu Ying’s body gradually calmed down.
I’m not afraid.
With Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian by her side, she was not afraid.
At worst, just hide behind Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian’s body!
The tide here receded while the tide surged on Ji Shang’s side.
"Hahaha…"
He laughed heartily.
"This sounds like something you would say, having confidence is good, but confidence needs to be supported by ability."
A sharp whistle pierced the sky as dozens of mechanical birds flew out of Ji Shang’s clothes. They occupied different corners of the sky, and together formed a cage that imprisoned Marquis Wu’an.
The many elders of Xingluo Fortress who had been watching the play beside them also came over one after another.
Marquis Wu’an was bloodthirsty and vengeful, and running away from him was useless. Only killing him here would put everyone’s mind at ease.
However, in the face of such a siege by so many people, he strolled around as if nothing was happening.
"Do you know?"
"Oh?"
Ji Shang raised his right hand and drew infinite power from the stars.
Marquis Wu’an said, "When I appeared before you, I had already won."
"?"
Countless question marks popped up for a moment.
However, the answer soon became apparent.
Suddenly, a faint green light shone from the magic array that was used to seal the Candlestick.
Bai Lian was startled.
She felt very clearly that the aura emitted from the light was no different from that of the Lord of Reincarnation.
Could it be that the Lord of Reincarnation sneakily entered during the chaos?
"Miss Bu…"
Bu Qingxiao shook her head.
She didn’t understand either.
In countless cycles, her strength had been depleted too much, and she was no longer the same person as before.
Bai Lian had a keen sense of abnormality, and Ji Shang was no less capable.
His face changed drastically, and he could no longer maintain his composure, "It’s impossible!"
The Great Elder had checked, and he had checked as well. How could anyone have sneaked in during the chaos?
Actions speak louder than words.
The next moment.
A green circle appeared in the magic array.
Then, accompanied by a loud bang, the ground was annihilated, and the blood spurted out like a surging wave.
Ji Shang had tried his best to dodge, but still got a few drops of blood on his cheek.
That was the blood of fresh blood.
Ji Shang lifted his right hand and pressed the blood drops about to fall on his cheek with his index finger.
He didn’t say a word.
After the mist of blood dissipated, he saw a person wearing a black cloak smiling at him, with a blue pillar originally placed in the Candlestick held in that person’s hand.
"Xu Pan," Ji Shang called out.
Xu Pan laughed and said, "Long time no see."
His smile was like a breath of fresh air.
But Ji Shang had already lost the ability to laugh.
He asked, "Did you kill all the people inside?"
Xu Pan nodded, "Indeed."
Ji Shang’s body was trembling.
Xu Pan spoke, "I thought your reaction would be more intense. You know, that night at the palace, my behavior was similar to yours now, while you were similar to me now."
"…"
The wind was blowing fiercely.
Xu Pan gazed into the distant stars.
"When I touched that spot, I made a blood oath to make you feel how I felt at that moment. Unfortunately, there was a delay of over twenty years due to unexpected circumstances."
A bloody mist appeared in Ji Shang’s eyes.
The Great Elder and others were furious and wanted to rush up and kill Xu Pan, but he stopped them.
"Keep an eye on Marquis Wu’an."
Ji Shang didn’t move right away.
He put the index finger pressed on his cheek into his mouth and gave it a light lick.
Then he closed his eyes and sighed, "This blood tastes bitter."
It was so bitter that he almost threw up.
It was so bitter that he couldn’t see any other colors in his eyes.
Xu Pan simply shook his head and chuckled.
"You are very pitiful, and all of you from Xingluo Fortress are also pitiful," he said.
Ji Shang walked forward with a cold sneer on his face.
One step.
Two steps.
The power in his hand had turned into a great sword that pierced through the sky.
Xu Pan continued to say to himself, "Do you remember how you founded Xingluo Fortress?"
Ji Shang remained silent.
Xu Pan said, "Let me help you recall. The ancestor discovered a tablet in the ruins of the East Sea, in which there was a damaged and special cultivation method, an incomplete tablet with missing words, and a wordless pillar."
"The inscription on the tablet recorded the story related to the Ancient Starry Sky Road. According to legend, those who passed through the Ancient Starry Sky Road could advance to the Land of Immortals and listen to the most ancient Great Tao."
"To achieve enlightenment in just one night, what a great temptation?"
"So the ancestor brought out the cultivation method, tablet, and pillar. She cut off worldly desires and devoted herself to finding the Ancient Starry Sky Road. In this way, she instantly crossed the boundary between mortal and immortal, possessing the posture to aspire to the Immortal Emperor."
"Unfortunately, no matter how hard you search, you will not be able to find the Ancient Starry Sky Road."
"Over the past few thousand years, at least a hundred predecessors from Xingluo Fortress have gone missing while searching for the Ancient Starry Sky Road."
Ji Shang finally approached Xu Pan.
He grinned and asked, "Are you finished?"
Xu Pan shook his head and said, "Do you know why you cannot find the Ancient Starry Sky Road?"
Ji Shang said, "It’s time for you to die."
However, Xu Pan pushed the stone pillar forward and said, "This pillar is called Tao Source Golden Pillar, which is a divine tool used to suppress the demons and evil creatures that appear on the Ancient Starry Sky Road."
Suddenly, Ji Shang’s waving right hand stiffened.
"Exactly!"
Xu Pan raised his hands high.
He seemed to be enjoying the falling starlight, with an inexplicable smile on his face.
"The reason why the predecessors of Xingluo Fortress were not able to find the Ancient Starry Sky Road for a long time was not because the Ancient Starry Sky Road didn’t exist or because they had the wrong method of searching. It was because they were standing at the end of the Ancient Starry Sky Road, where the stone tablet was located, and the exit of the Ancient Starry Sky Road was right there."
"They flew towards the outer space, the further they flew, the farther away from the Ancient Starry Sky Road they were."
"Ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years?"
"One person, ten people, one hundred people?"
"No matter how great a price you pay, you will never truly find the Ancient Starry Sky Road, nor will you ever learn the secret of becoming an Immortal Emperor, hahaha…"
Xu Pan’s speaking speed accelerated rapidly, with a hint of madness, until in the end only his laughter echoed throughout Xingluo Fortress.
Is this the end of the Ancient Starry Sky Road?
Not only was Ji Shang stunned.
Bai Lian, who was hiding, was also totally stunned.
