In that instant, Zhao Kai felt as though his skull was being torn apart, painfully and forcefully. Something massive and ice-cold was shoved into his head, filling every inch of his mind. The excruciating cold froze his thoughts, leaving him unable to think, his very mind paralyzed.


    "Great Devouring Palm!"


    Chu Xuan raised his hand once more. A massive spiritual palm descended, overwhelming Zhao Kai.


    Zhao Kai''s spiritual sense was immediately refined and absorbed by it. The Inner Furnace Refining Method continuously transformed them into Chu Xuan''s own spiritual power, further strengthening his soul.


    Zhao Kai struggled to maintain a sliver of clarity in his will, trying to escape with his Nascent Soul. But Chu Xuan had long been prepared. The Sky-Tearing Cold Palm grasped down with ferocity, easily seizing Zhao Kai''s Nascent Soul.


    With a casual flick of his wrist, Zhao Kai''s physical body was thrown into the Myriad Realms Mirror and sent crashing to Blue Star.


    Chu Xuan still planned to use the Soul Search technique to delve into Zhao Kai''s memories, so he refrained from killing him—for the moment.


    Whoosh.


    In the blink of an eye, the winds roared. The mist dispersed.


    Shi Juntian and the others focused, only to find that Zhao Kai had vanished completely, leaving Chu Xuan standing in his place.


    Shi Juntian let out a long breath, and his gaze towards Chu Xuan softened, filled with awe. No wonder this person could suppress Wei Ji and the others at once. He was truly formidable!


    If he could kill Zhao Kai, then eliminating him would be no more than a trifling task. He was glad he had been cautious and hadn''t turned against this person. Otherwise, he would be the one lying dead.


    Shi Juntian quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoist, your strength is truly impressive. I, Shi, am in awe!"


    Chu Xuan smiled. "It was just a matter of luck in countering him."


    Shi Juntian couldn''t help but laugh bitterly.


    "You defeated Zhao Kai by luck? What does that make me, then? Shouldn''t I have been flattened under his fists?"


    Jingkong, Jinghui, and Jingxuan had been watching the battle intently. When they realized that Zhao Kai had completely vanished, their faces turned ashen.


    Zhao Kai, a Sixth Layer Nascent Soul powerhouse—just like that, he was gone?


    The three of them were still at the early stages of Nascent Soul. If someone could kill Zhao Kai, how easily could he wipe them out?


    Compared to the shock and fear of Jingkong and the others, Wei Ji and Wan Hun were filled with a sense of relief and excitement.


    Good, good, good! They had indeed chosen the right side! Though controlled by the parasitic worms, it had been worth it!


    With Zhao Kai''s death, the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace would crumble like a mountain collapse! Victory was within reach!


    In the future, they would undoubtedly receive the rewards of the Heaven-Shaking Divine Sect.


    Jingkong, Jinghui, and Jingxuan exchanged a glance, and without hesitation, turned and fled.


    "Leave it to you. Let''s also go to Flying Thunder Valley."


    Chu Xuan waved his hand, signaling the Four Arms, Hu, and Long to catch up and assist Wei Ji and Wan Hun.


    If he had to personally deal with a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator, then there would be no point in leaving anyone else alive. They might as well be dead.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ...


    At Golden Thunder Mountain, within the formation.


    Bai Jinkun, Fu Peng, Cao Moren, and Wan Wuying had all witnessed the battle. Their hearts remained unsettled for a long time.


    Fu Peng swallowed, his voice hoarse. "How... how could Lin Fan... possibly engage with the Deputy Palace Master of the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace? Could it be that he''s actually a Nascent Soul cultivator?"


    Cao Moren rolled his eyes. "After all this, you still don''t understand? You should be addressing him as ''Senior,'' not by name."


    Fu Peng quickly covered his mouth, his face filled with horror.


    Bai Jinkun, hearing their exchange, couldn''t help but feel a sense of smug satisfaction.


    What they had only just realized, he had known all along. It was the pride of one who had already discovered the secret.


    Wan Wuying stared at the Four Arms soaring through the air, a look of astonishment in his eyes.


    He remembered the day on the extraterritorial battlefield at the Great Chasm, when the cultivator who called himself Huikong from the Golden Dragon Temple had killed the genius Yun Zhongyu of the Reincarnation Divine Church.


    On that day, he had watched from afar as Huikong deployed two Ghost Kings.


    It was especially the Four Arms that left a deep impression on him—its appearance now was identical to the one he saw today!


    However, Huikong had been a master at raising ghosts. This person, though, had a corpse king as well.


    Generally speaking, devil cultivators would focus on one path alone. It was rare to find someone who excelled in raising ghosts, refining corpses, and breeding parasitic insects.


    Such a genius, one who was proficient in all these aspects of the devil''s path, was an incredibly rare find. But Wan Wuying knew very well—there was no such person as Huikong.


    The Huikong of Golden Dragon Temple had been a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator and had long been killed by his former disciple, Chu Xuan.


    This person''s true identity was still a mystery, but he must be someone Wan Wuying knew.


    Who could it be?


    Wan Wuying vaguely had an answer.


    ....


    At Flying Thunder Valley, Zheng Ji and Liu Ruoshui were under less pressure, and with the arrival of reinforcements from Golden Thunder Mountain, their victory was swift.


    It didn''t take long before Cheng Qi and the others were killed. Only Duan Xiu saw the situation turning unfavorable and made an early escape, fleeing without a trace.


    Not long after, Four Arms, Hu, and Long returned, carrying the corpses of several Nascent Soul cultivators.


    Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad."


    Shi Juntian smiled. "This victory is all thanks to Fellow Daoist Lin''s intervention. Without it, we would have been in danger, and the Divine Sect''s grand ambitions would have been at risk."


    Chu Xuan waved his hand. "I am also part of the Sect. It was only right."


    Wei Ji spoke seriously. "Now that Zhao Kai and the others are dead, only the Nascent Soul cultivators of our faction remain on Mystic Azure Star. If we take advantage of this opportunity to seize the heart and foot of the formation, we can fully control the Realm Protecting Formation. At that time, we will be able to welcome the Deity Transformation cultivators of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect to occupy Mystic Azure!"


    Shi Juntian nodded repeatedly. "That is my intention as well. Please, everyone, immediately go to different parts of Mystic Azure to secure the formation''s positions."


    Once everyone left, he turned to Chu Xuan. "Fellow Daoist Lin, would you be willing to assist me in securing the heart of the formation?"


    Chu Xuan smiled. "That sounds great."


    He was the strongest, so it would not make sense for him to travel far to control the various formation nodes.


    Shi Juntian did not dare to issue such an order. Naturally, he would remain at the heart of the Realm Protecting Formation.


    More than ten days later.


    The Realm Protecting Formation on Mystic Azure Star had completely fallen under the control of Chu Xuan and his group.


    Beyond Mystic Azure Star, in the vast expanse of space, two elderly figures were locked in confrontation. One of them was Tiancang, the True Master of the Reincarnation Divine Sect. The other was Blood Wine True Master of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect. The two had been fighting for thousands of rounds, but there had been no clear victor.


    Tiancang spoke indifferently, "Leave. I cannot kill you, and you cannot defeat me. On Mystic Azure Star, the Nascent Soul cultivators under my Reincarnation Divine Sect outnumber yours. The Realm Protecting Formation will inevitably activate, and you won''t be able to enter Mystic Azure."


    Blood Wine True Master''s expression darkened.


    The other Deity Transformation cultivators of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect each had their own tasks. Some were battling fiercely in the extraterritorial battlefield for rare treasures, while others had been stationed on other cultivation stars to guard against a surprise attack from the Reincarnation Divine Sect into the Divine Sect''s heartland.


    Blood Wine True Master''s objective was Mystic Azure Star.


    However, Tiancang was notoriously difficult to deal with.


    He had repeatedly tried to bypass Tiancang and enter Mystic Azure before the Realm Protecting Formation was fully activated. But Tiancang was an expert in the art of splitting his consciousness and creating avatars. Every time, at least one of his avatars would block Blood Wine True Master''s path, preventing him from making any progress.


    As the two continued to face off, Blood Wine True Master suddenly received a transmission. After listening to the message, he burst into loud, triumphant laughter.


    "Tiancang, old ghost! Mystic Azure Star has already fallen into our Divine Sect''s hands! Fighting back and forth here is meaningless!"