Chapter 42: The Stubborn Breed
All eyes remained fixed upon the vast Heavenly Prefecture Base, a land inhabited by millions, now hoisted into the sky upon the shoulders of Shu Mu Night, soaring towards Mountain City. Even in an era where cultivation had reshaped the very fabric of Blue Star, such a scene was beyond comprehension.
Yun Lai’s face was drained of all color, bloodless and pale.
[Is this even a difference in power anymore?]
From childhood, he had been hailed a genius, yet in this moment, he felt utterly insignificant.
Wen Zhao was aghast. “The Star Method—it is a technique that only those who have stepped into the highest tiers of cultivation can even begin to comprehend. It is executed purely through the control of Star Force, shaping an attack into a technique. At our level, forget about cultivating a Star Method, we are not even qualified to witness one. Our Star Force is far too meager to even dream of utilizing it.”
“Throughout history, never has a cultivator within the Ten-Seal Realm been capable of unleashing a Star Method—not even once.”
For the first time, Wen Star Ru felt fear. She regretted coming to Blue Star. She regretted opposing Shu Mu Night.
[This man… he was never someone we could afford to make an enemy of.]
A single Star Method had rendered the Insect Tide completely insignificant. Even if the swarm multiplied tenfold, could it truly stop him?
[He is invincible.]
Just like the rumors said—he was invincible.
At that moment, a group of figures surged toward Shu Mu Night—it was Bai Yuan and his comrades. The Heavenly Prefecture Base was already suspended ten meters above the ground, casting an enormous shadow that blotted out the sun. The more one understood the Star Method, the greater the fear that gripped their hearts.
Yet fear was not a reason to retreat.
“If we abandon the Heavenly Prefecture Base today, then tomorrow we will abandon all of Blue Star.”
“That is not the spirit of Hua Xia.”
“We were born a stubborn breed.”
Standing beside Bai Yuan was Wang Jie, along with Qing Zheng, Old Five, and the others. Somehow, a sense of serenity filled Wang Jie’s heart, even in the face of certain death. For the first time, it felt as though this moment was their true calling.
They were all stubborn breeds.
From his lofty height, Shu Mu Night cradled the Heavenly Prefecture Base with his left hand while gazing downward at the eleven warriors surging toward him. A smile curled at his lips. “You all… are more deserving of life than the rest.”
With that, his right hand swept outward. Though his movement seemed effortless, like the simple pivot of a lever shifting the world itself, the result was a gale so fierce that it obliterated everything in its path, an unstoppable force swallowing Bai Yuan and his allies, sending them hurtling away like mere leaves caught in a storm.
The Armor One Divine Sword, just unleashed, was instantly repelled.
At this moment, Shu Mu Night’s power was even more terrifying than before—flawless, insurmountable.
Yet, amidst the roaring winds, a lone figure maneuvered through the air, moving swiftly toward Shu Mu Night.
A crouched stance.
An arm drawn back.
Feet treading upon the very storm itself.
A fist, unleashed—
BOOM!
A thunderous impact shook the heavens.
A shockwave visible to the naked eye shredded through the storm, scattering the violent gusts like dust in the wind. Shu Mu Night’s eyes widened as a raw, unrelenting force struck him, carrying a power beyond reason.
His instinct kicked in—his arm lifted to block. Yet, the moment the impact landed, his expression morphed from surprise to disbelief, then into sheer shock.
In that instant, he was forced back, his body staggering several steps. The Star Force supporting his left arm fractured under the strike. His Star Method—shattered.
The Heavenly Prefecture Base plummeted.
Shu Mu Night instantly retreated.
The lone figure, too, withdrew rapidly.
With a thunderous crash, the Heavenly Prefecture Base, once aloft, slammed back into the earth, sending tremors rippling through the land. The impact carved deep fissures into the terrain, the very ground caving beneath its weight. Dust and debris spiraled into the air, forming an impenetrable veil.
And in that moment—silence.
Trial participants. Bai Yuan and his comrades. Every last onlooker stood frozen, their gazes locked upon the silhouette within the dispersing dust.
A single punch had repelled Shu Mu Night.
A Star Method had been forcibly shattered.
Who in the world could accomplish such a feat?
Even Silent was rendered speechless, staring in utter disbelief.
To the south of the Heavenly Prefecture Base, Shu Mu Night swept his hand through the air, dispersing the lingering dust. Slowly, he turned his gaze eastward, his expression shifting into something rare—exhilaration.
He had been pushed back.
Beyond those few individuals he respected, another had now surfaced who could stand against him.
[Interesting. A mere native, from a world fated to be sacrificed, and yet…]
From within the dust, Wang Jie stood firm, his frame lean, his breath steady. Sixty times the strength.
Just yesterday, he had performed his training once more, pushing his power to sixty times its original limit. And just as he had predicted, the further he progressed, the slower his gains became. He doubted he would even reach seventy times.
He turned southward.
[That strike should have injured him… yet it merely forced him back?]
This man was still at the Eight-Seal Realm.
No matter his identity, no matter his talent—he was, at this moment, an Eight-Seal Cultivator.
An Eight-Seal Cultivator who had withstood a sixty-times-strength punch head-on.
[What a monster.]
The air burned hot, distorting reality itself. Through the thinning haze, Shu Mu Night strode forward, his aura both oppressive and elated, excitement dancing within his eyes.
Wang Jie felt it—the anticipation, the thrill in his opponent’s movements.
He took a step forward.
Two figures, moving amidst the fading dust.
From a distance, Wen Star Ru, Bai Yuan, and the others found themselves involuntarily drawn in, as if mimicking their earlier steps when Shu Mu Night had led them along the city wall.
As the dust finally settled, the two stood face to face, a mere kilometer apart.
Shu Mu Night studied Wang Jie, his gaze full of intrigue. “So it was you. You were there last time—but you did not act.”
Wang Jie responded flatly, “I was observing.”
For the third time, he spoke those same words.
From afar, Yun Lai twitched. [This guy…]
Shu Mu Night chuckled. “And what have you observed?”
Wang Jie sighed. “That I cannot defeat you.”
Shu Mu Night raised a brow. “You wish to win against me?”
“What else?”
“Hahahaha!” Shu Mu Night laughed heartily, his voice brimming with arrogance. “You think you can defeat me? Do you even understand what you’re saying? In this vast universe, no one dares utter such words at this moment—not the mighty Armor One Sect, not the exalted Three Zen Heavens, not even my own Sincere One Dao. And yet, here you stand, saying it so boldly.”
Wang Jie remained composed, his voice calm. “I said it. It’s not as if I’ll lose a limb for doing so.”
Shu Mu Night raised a finger and pointed to the distant crowd. “Go ahead, ask them. Should my opponent be a mere individual, or an entire force combined?”
Wang Jie loosened his fingers, clenched them into a fist, and released a faint, cracking sound. “It doesn’t matter. Right now, your only opponent is me.”
Shu Mu Night regarded him with admiration. “Are you from Blue Star?”
“Born and raised.”
“That should be impossible.”
“There are always anomalies.”
“I admire you,” Shu Mu Night admitted, locking eyes with Wang Jie. “Now, show me how you intend to win against me.”
In the distance, Wen Star Ru and the others observed with complex expressions. Those who knew Shu Mu Night were well aware of his immense pride. Yet now, he openly acknowledged Wang Jie, even engaging in a prolonged conversation with him. To them, he had been dismissive, as if they were beneath his notice. And yet, this native—this mere Blue Star warrior—had earned his recognition.
The very notion sent shockwaves through the universe.
Qing Zheng and his group were tense. Their leader—he must not lose.
Wen Zhao clenched her fists tightly. She hadn’t expected herself to feel this anxious.
Insect Ruo Ruo mirrored her tension. That venomous man should be the one to lose to her. But he mustn’t die—not yet.
Within the crumbling base, city walls had collapsed, towering structures had crumbled with deafening echoes. Agonized cries filled the air as cultivators rushed to rescue ordinary citizens from the devastation. The impact had been akin to the mightiest of earthquakes, and the death toll was unknown.
Wang Jie closed his eyes, listening—listening to the wails of children, the mourning of women, the helpless despair of countless souls. Each sound painted a vivid picture in his mind.
His breath grew heavier, oppressive.
Shu Mu Night did not act immediately. He simply observed. This native’s power was abnormal, beyond what Blue Star should be able to produce. He could not sense the workings of Star Force within Wang Jie’s body, yet his strength was undeniable.
Even the prodigies of Armor One Sect could not wield such raw power.
Then, Wang Jie moved.
He bent his legs, then propelled himself forward. His body twisted in midair, his hands reaching out as though grasping the air itself. In an instant, he tore the very atmosphere apart, sending slashes of vacuum-like blades hurtling toward Shu Mu Night.
Shu Mu Night lifted his right arm, flicking his wrist upward to deflect one of the slashes. Yet, as he glanced down, he noticed a dark crimson mark on the back of his hand.
His expression changed slightly.
The air split apart in countless directions, slashes forming an impenetrable barrage that veiled the heavens.
For the first time on Blue Star, Shu Mu Night moved to evade.
Wen Star Ru and the others widened their eyes in shock. They had launched countless attacks against Shu Mu Night before, and never once had he been forced to step aside. But Wang Jie’s seemingly ordinary strikes? They made him move.
What kind of attack was this?
Shu Mu Night effortlessly sidestepped, weaving through the onslaught like a shadow in the wind. Then, with an effortless motion, he extended a palm forward.
It looked gentle, almost casual, but as his hand pushed outward, the very air rippled like waves across a lake, layer upon layer spreading outward in all directions.
Wang Jie felt as though he had been swallowed by a mire. His strength was restrained, trapped, struggling to break free. In that moment, he had only one choice.
He extended a single finger.
Luo Xuan Finger—Spiral Qi Force!
A spiraling force pierced through the rippling air, aiming straight for Shu Mu Night.
With a single hand, Shu Mu Night caught the spiraling force and crushed it into nothingness.
Wang Jie wasted no time. He executed the Armor Eight Steps, his form shifting into an illusory blur, dancing through the air like a phantom.
Six steps maneuvered him beyond the waves of air. The seventh step brought him right before Shu Mu Night. Seal Power surged through his arm as he delivered a devastating punch.
Shu Mu Night chuckled. “Strength? You seem to lack it.”
He countered with his own fist.
BOOM!
The impact thundered through the heavens, a shockwave ripping through the battlefield. Blood trickled from Older Sister Tang’s ears, and the Trial Participants turned deathly pale. The clash resounded like divine thunder exploding in their minds.
The very air split apart. The ground beneath them fractured, parting into two halves as a violent gale erupted, sending both warriors flying backward.
The Heavenly Prefecture Base trembled beneath the storm of their battle, fragile structures succumbing to the relentless force.
BOOM!
Another collision. Another explosion of power.
Wang Jie remained impassive. Shu Mu Night, however, was exhilarated. It had been so long. Across his two rebirths, none had ever matched his strength in the same realm. Yet this Blue Star native could trade blows with him?
Unbelievable. Unthinkable.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each clash sent shockwaves tearing through the land. Wang Jie felt his strength surging, his body adapting, growing stronger with each collision. But no matter how much power he unleashed, Shu Mu Night remained a step ahead, always pressing him down.
The battlefield lay in ruin, the earth crumbling like paper beneath their feet. Dust and debris clouded the sky.
The mutated insects nearby trembled, retreating in fear.
Blood splattered before Wang Jie’s eyes.
His own blood.
He understood.
His strength was not enough to wound Shu Mu Night.
This man was a monster.
BOOM!
Pain exploded through his body, spreading into numbness. His right arm was useless.
Then he would use his left.
Shu Mu Night spun, delivering a kick. Wang Jie executed the Eighth Step, evading the attack and appearing behind him. He launched his left fist forward.
Shu Mu Night smirked, allowing the strike to land. His body tilted slightly, shifting the force aside. He was pushed back a single step, but in return, an even greater force rebounded through Wang Jie’s arm, sending him flying.
He stumbled ten steps before regaining his footing.
His left arm trembled. His right arm was immobile.
He had lost in sheer strength.
Shu Mu Night regarded him with deep interest, brushing the dust from his chest.
“I never imagined, in my third rebirth, that I would meet someone of my realm capable of making me take a step back.” His gaze sharpened. “Your name is Wang Jie? I acknowledge you. You may follow me.”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
A fricking rebirth…two times over…ah no wonder he’s OP and psycho