Chapter 099
Chapter 99: The Only Choice
Below, visible shockwaves spread upward, filling the sky. The thick smoke soon obscured the view, as if the heavens themselves had been covered.
Kui Rock had broken through his limits, reaching the same level of power as Wang Jie after drawing on external strength.
The two clashed fiercely on the Apocalyptic Planet, engaging in a battle where only willpower mattered.
Meanwhile, Xuan had blocked another Gong Nation warrior from the Full Star Realm. His expression showed neither sadness nor joy. As a soldier, this was his fate. Just as he had said when leaving the Imperial Capital Star, death on the battlefield was the best outcome.
Any external power has its limits.
Wang Jie borrowed strength, and Kui Rock’s Blood Stabbing Method was the same.
The blood within Kui Rock’s body evaporated under the extreme heat, and the blood loss from the Blood Stabbing Method only worsened this. The longer the battle dragged on, the harder it became to endure.
Wang Jie sensed this. Kui Rock’s movements were slowing, his crimson pupils fading to white. His body was withering, nearing the brink of death.
Boom.
The shattered earth split open, and mountains collapsed, soaring into space.
Wang Jie struck Kui Rock’s forehead with a palm. Kui Rock’s eyes were filled with unwillingness as he stared at Wang Jie, trying to catch a glimpse of his face, but it was no longer possible. All he could see was red, gradually turning black, before he collapsed to the ground.
Wang Jie panted heavily, finally having killed the Full Star Realm powerhouse.
His breath grew more erratic as the oxygen in the air continued to deplete. He pulled out the Three Tribulations Star Artifact, the Ding, which was his trump card. As long as he could kill Kui Rock, he could sit inside the Ding and wait for rescue.
That is, if any rescue was going to come.
The ship Jin Chu and the others were on must not be in danger.
Just as he was about to enter the Ding, he turned to look and saw Xuan lying on the ground in the distance. There was another Gong Nation warrior beside him, also on the verge of death.
Wang Jie’s eyes widened in shock. He grabbed the Ding and leapt toward Xuan. Reaching his side, he helped him up. “What happened? Why didn’t you board the ship?”
Xuan bitterly coughed up blood. “There was no one to block them. The ship couldn’t get away.”
Wang Jie’s mood darkened. He had been so focused on Kui Rock that he hadn’t noticed Xuan had been desperately holding back another Full Star Realm Gong Nation warrior.
“I’m sorry, I brought you here,” Xuan said, looking at the dying Gong Nation warrior across from him. “But it’s worth it. I was destined to die anyway. Taking down one enemy before I die… that’s enough.”
“Wang Jie, do you know… I’ve never killed such a strong enemy before?”
The Silver Radiance Empire and Gong Nation were two different worlds. Gong Nation’s enemies were the Frost Radiance Sect, and their Full Star Realm opponents should have been Jin Chu, not Xuan.
Xuan couldn’t even defeat Jin Chu, but here he was, risking his life to take down a Gong Nation Full Star Realm cultivator. That alone was something to be proud of.
Wang Jie stared at his fading face. “If you have any last wishes, tell me. I’ll fulfill them for you.”
Xuan shook his head. “Do you know why I helped Jun Tang?”
Wang Jie was taken aback. He truly didn’t know. To him, Jun Tang didn’t deserve Xuan’s help.
Jun Hua had already become the emperor, yet Xuan still wanted to assassinate her. Even if he had succeeded, he would never have had a foothold in the Silver Radiance Empire.
The only thing he could guess was that Jun Tang had some leverage over Xuan or had taken control of his family.
“Because he once served under me. He fought alongside me on the battlefield.”
Wang Jie was stunned. “That’s why?”
Xuan closed his eyes. “How many lords speak of shared hardships but fail to act? No matter his purpose, no matter how hypocritical he may be, at least he did something. That’s enough.”
“At least he lived among us, at our level.”
With that, he breathed his last.
Wang Jie stood motionless, staring at Xuan’s lifeless body. The ground beneath them cracked once more. In the distance, lights flickered from the ship.
He stood and entered the Ding, pulling Xuan’s body in with him.
In the next instant, the earth shattered beneath his feet.
The Gong Nation warrior who hadn’t fully died floated into space, quickly succumbing to his wounds.
All around, shattered earth crashed against the Ding. Common materials would never withstand such impacts, but this Ding was a second tribulation Star Artifact. Designed to counter Full Star Realm powerhouses, it would remain intact even at the center of a planetary explosion.
After a time, the Ding was dragged into the ship.
As Wang Jie entered the ship, he gasped heavily, nearly suffocating.
Jin Chu helped him out. He was severely injured, almost completely drained.
Wu Mian gazed at Wang Jie in shock, exclaiming, “Ten Seals defeated a Full Star Realm Gong Nation warrior in Blood Stabbing Method… Honored guest, you’re truly worthy of admiration.”
Jin Chu’s gaze was filled with disbelief as well.
This person could defeat Kui Rock, which meant he could defeat her too.
Was it really Ten Seals?
Who could possibly have such a monstrous Ten Seals?
Wang Jie was taken for treatment aboard the ship, where the healing medicine had a limited effect. He still needed to rest and recover. It wouldn’t be long before he was up again.
“And the Lao Bone ship?” Wang Jie asked.
Jin Chu answered respectfully, “It escaped. We didn’t pursue it. We were focused on watching the battle between you and Kui Rock.”
Wang Jie gazed into the starry sky. In the distance, the planet that had once existed was now gone, leaving behind only the ruins of the cosmos.
“Head to Blue Star,” he ordered.
The ship changed course toward Blue Star. After arriving and hovering in the starry sky, Wang Jie didn’t rush to disembark. He waited until his recovery exercises were complete before finally landing on Blue Star.
As for Xuan…
He would erect a monument to him on Blue Star.
Without Xuan, Wang Jie would not have survived this battle. Not only had Xuan blocked another Full Star Realm Gong Nation warrior, but he had also dragged the enemy down in the final moments, allowing the ship to escape safely. Without that, none of them would have made it.
A monument would be erected.
It was also one of the materials for the Mourning Water Art.
But Wang Jie was not doing this for the material. He did it out of genuine respect.
Of course, the material was also completed.
The Mourning Water Art was now only missing one final component: a token of respect.
This material was simple—just any token of respect. Essentially, Wang Jie could obtain the Mourning Water Art at any time.
As for Sword Step, it only lacked one more material: a beautiful sword tassel. He had the tassel, but he didn’t wish to use it yet.
When Wang Jie returned to Blue Star and erected the monument for Xuan, he briefly summarized the events that had transpired. He mentioned the battle but didn’t elaborate on how close it had been. Had the others known that his battle had destroyed an entire planet, they would have been even more shocked.
This was the destructive power of a Full Star Realm battle.
After spending some time with the others, Jin Chu reminded him that Gong Nation would undoubtedly seek revenge. The Lao Bone ship had escaped, and it would surely report Kui Rock’s death. They were no longer safe here.
Wu Mian spoke in a low voice. “On the Star Cloud battlefield, Gong Nation lost a hundred Star Realm cultivators. They gathered millions of cultivators and fought to the death. They took down two hundred Star Realm opponents and a Star Refining Realm expert, but Gong Nation suffered even greater losses and nearly fell into ruin.”
“But even so, they never regretted it. That is Gong Nation.”
“Now that Kui Rock is dead, it won’t stir the entire Gong Nation, but Kui Rock belonged to the Kui family. The Kui family can mobilize enough force to wipe out this entire region.”
Wang Jie was confused. “They’d rather seek revenge than consider the bigger picture?”
Wu Mian shook his head. “I’ve fought alongside Gong Nation before. Their mindset is simple—they seek revenge. The bigger picture is never something they consider.”
“There’s only one way to make them stop.”
“Fight.”
Wang Jie raised an eyebrow. The words sounded familiar. Wen Zhao had once said that if they wanted Blue Star’s people to stop being treated as slaves, they would have to make a stand. It was the same concept.
In the end, the strong must rule.
“Only by striking them hard will they know when to stop. Otherwise, they’ll fight to the death,” Wu Mian continued.
Wang Jie understood. “Do you have a plan?”
Jin Chu and Wu Mian exchanged a glance. “If honored guest truly wants to save the people of Blue Star, there’s only one option. Take them away. Abandon Blue Star.”
Wang Jie looked out the window. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, and the clouds drifted lazily by.
Abandon Blue Star?
This was his homeland. For every person on Blue Star, or rather for every Hua Xia person, their homeland could never be replaced.
“Silver Radiance Empire cannot defend Blue Star. The Sect Master is on the Ninth Star Chain, and it’s impossible for them to send help. So unless you want to perish with Blue Star, abandoning it is the best and only choice.”
“Can’t we push Blue Star away?”
Jin Chu and Wu Mian stared at him in surprise, clearly puzzled.
Wang Jie was thinking back to when Blue Star had been brought here. It had been pushed into this location. Though he still didn’t know how much power was required to push a star, he thought it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Jin Chu coughed lightly. “Pushing Blue Star away and destroying it are two very different things. The universe contains Star Force, and planets absorb it on their own. So pushing a planet is not as simple as the planet itself; it involves the universe’s Star Force.”
“To move a planet… I don’t know if the Sect has such a person, but at least we haven’t seen anyone capable of it.”
Wang Jie hadn’t realized how difficult it would be to push Blue Star away.
Jin Chu’s point was simple—even if the Sect had someone who could move Blue Star, they would likely not help.
He thought for a moment. “Please contact the Silver Radiance Empire. I need to evacuate the people of Blue Star.”
Jin Chu immediately contacted the ship.
Meanwhile, Wang Jie sent the message out as well. Such an important decision could not be made without discussion.
The discussion was only a formality. No one would refuse it.
This trial, this invasion of Gong Nation, had made the people of Blue Star experience repeated despair. They no longer wished to feel this way. Abandoning Blue Star was difficult and heartbreaking, but sometimes, one must learn to let go.
Soon, Jin Chu replied. The Silver Radiance Empire had dispatched a massive warship to evacuate the people.
Taking away the over ten million people of Blue Star would be no problem.
Wang Jie stood on the Golden Hill Base wall, gazing into the distance.
He had lived here for eighteen years, fought here for eighteen years. There were too many memories. Now, to abandon it, to return… Blue Star might end up like that planet, disappearing completely from the cosmos.
The thought choked him.
Friends and family were hard to leave behind. His homeland was just the same.
“Sorry,” he whispered softly to himself.
When the Silver Radiance Empire warship arrived, it marked the countdown to the departure of all from Blue Star.
Everyone cherished this final moment, preparing for relocation while bidding farewell to Blue Star.
Wang Jie went to the orphanage of his childhood. It had long since turned to ruins.
The gate lay on the ground, covered in dust and thick black bloodstains.
It was here that he had first tasted fried chicken. The flavor was something nothing could ever replace. Not far from the orphanage was the place where they had been burned by Zuo Tian. It had become his most tragic memory.
Too bad he hadn’t been able to kill Zuo Tian.