Chapter 117
Chapter 117: Breaking Through
Gazing at the star map, Wang Jie pondered for a moment. He drew a sword, locked in on the direction, and stabbed it into the ground, digging.
This was a mountain that spanned two enormous gravity zones. The path he had determined would lead him through the heart of the mountain and into the opposing region, where the gravity was one hundred and fifty times stronger. As long as he dug through, he would not only avoid the gaze of that Gong Nation person but also return to the one hundred and fifty times gravity zone, where he could escape.
Heavy Depth star was neither too large nor too small. He kept his aura hidden, confident that even a Hundred Star Realm expert would struggle to detect him. As for destroying Heavy Depth star, that was out of the question. This was within the Frost Radiance domain, and Heavy Depth star was under constant monitoring as a Strange Planet. To destroy it would be akin to declaring war. The forces here were not reckless enough to take such a step.
As long as he could escape before the war broke out and hide somewhere, he might have a slim chance of survival.
Even though that chance was very, very faint.
It was normal for a planet to exist for millions, even billions, of years. No one knew how long Heavy Depth star had been around. The mountain in the gravity zone had been shaped by endless years of natural forces, its density increased by time. Even with his sword, Wang Jie found it difficult to carve through. He couldn’t afford to use lock force either.
The only choice was to rely on his own strength to dig.
The strain on his body was immense, and he could only hope that he would reach his destination before the Revive Pill was completely consumed.
The first part was the hardest. Every sword strike felt like it was pushing him to his limit, and every movement seemed to challenge his endurance. But gradually, he learned to synchronize his joints with his Qi using lock force, which minimized his energy consumption. It became instinctual, conserving his strength for longer.
The Gong Nation person outside still spoke occasionally.
The more they spoke, the more at ease Wang Jie felt. He had a sense that the enemy was only putting on a show. But after several days, as he dug to the brink of exhaustion and rested, he heard a strange breathing sound. His scalp prickled with fear.
The sound was coming from deep beneath the earth. It wasn’t natural. It was the unmistakable sound of a living creature’s breath.
It was faint, repressive, yet it reverberated through the entire planet.
At the moment Wang Jie heard it, a deep, primal fear took over his body. His instincts screamed that this was an opponent he could not face. It was far more terrifying than the wandering star realm Gong Nation person outside.
Hundred Star Realm.
The only thing Wang Jie could think of was a Hundred Star Realm expert. Indeed, there was one such being beneath the earth, an overwhelming force far beyond his own.
This Gong Nation person was different from others—deceptively monstrous.
Wang Jie hesitated, considering whether he should surrender. But then, the memory of the Gong Nation’s slaughter in Blue Star—how they reveled in murder—strengthened his resolve to escape. Surrender meant certain death. He had to flee.
He gritted his teeth against the pain, stretching out the use of the Revive Pill, digging little by little.
He had to make it through.
In a moment of clarity, he removed his mask. There was no need for it now. With death looming, he would rather be a clear-headed ghost.
Days passed. The Gong Nation person outside occasionally spoke, but his tone grew less confident. It seemed like he no longer believed Wang Jie was alive, and at times, it sounded like he was talking to himself.
Wang Jie silently continued digging. Nearly a month had passed since he first heard that breathing.
In that month, the breath had grown more frequent, each time sending chills through him.
Based on his calculations, he had dug about a third of the way through, drawing closer to the one hundred and fifty times gravity zone.
His body had adapted more to this gravity zone, thanks in part to the Revive Pills keeping him alive and the Primal Bone Pills filling his stomach. If measured in starstones, he had consumed at least twenty million. It was an extravagant expenditure, one few could afford—even the true disciples of sects would not use it so lavishly. But it was for his life.
The benefits, however, were evident. His strength hadn’t increased, but his body was adapting to stronger gravity, allowing him to use his power more efficiently. His defense, resilience, and speed had all improved. The most obvious change was in his Qi.
His Qi was now twice what it had been when he left Blue Star.
His use of lock force had also improved, and he estimated he had reached the equivalent of two thousand and five hundred in control.
All these were progress. Progress earned through life and wealth.
In the past month, a lot had happened within the Frost Radiance sect.
The strongest force of the Third Nebula, the Ornate Jade Gate, had been routed on the Star Cloud battlefield. As a result, they had requisitioned three elders, thirty inner disciples, five hundred thousand outer disciples, and over a million disciples from the sect.
Wars were erupting between Star Links, and between Star Clouds, as the Third Nebula had been severely weakened. With the South House disappearing, everyone was trying to seize the Third Nebula’s resources. The Third Nebula had shrunk to less than half its former size, and if the Star Cloud battlefield couldn’t be stabilized, the entire Nine Great Star Chains would suffer.
The Frost Radiance sect had no choice but to comply.
Moreover, there was another frustrating matter.
The Third Nebula Star Guardian required Starsea Stones imbued with Frost Radiance Star Force. Thus, the Frost Radiance sect had sent their Formation Dao master Zhang Cheng and an elder to escort a large batch of Starsea Stones to the Star Guardian.
The Star Guardian was a unique existence, understood only by those above the level of sect elders. The Third Nebula’s Star Guardian was a Hundred Star Realm cultivator. Though weaker than the sect master Wen Guan, he could command the Frost Radiance sect to provide vast amounts of Starsea Stones—an irrefutable rule, not just for the Third Nebula, but for the entire universe.
No one could refuse.
In just one month, four of the five elders of the Frost Radiance sect had left. Only Elder Yan remained.
Time passed.
Wang Jie calculated that fifty-seven days had passed since he began digging. He was now close to the one hundred and fifty times gravity zone. He continued adapting to the gravity, stretching the time it took to consume a Revive Pill to twice what it had been before.
Though his movements were still slow, even without the Revive Pill, staying in place wouldn’t kill him. He still couldn’t move as freely as in the one hundred and fifty times gravity zone, but it was a huge improvement.
The Gong Nation person had fallen silent, but Wang Jie knew it was still there.
As for the breathing from beneath the earth, it had become more frequent, as though the creature was about to awaken.
Wang Jie felt urgency. He quickened his pace.
At this moment, the Frost Radiance domain had been completely sealed off. Just a few days prior, someone had stolen the Frost Radiance Moon, vanishing without a trace.
The theft shocked the sect. No one had expected such a thing to happen.
The Frost Radiance Moon was valuable, but it was primarily useful for those at the Ten Seal Star-Breaking Realm. Its effect on those at the Full Star Realm had diminished considerably. Whoever had stolen it must have been no less than a Wandering Star Realm expert. But such an expert had no need to target the Frost Radiance Moon.
Whatever the reason, the sect went into lockdown, investigating the thief with all their might.
Zhen Zhen looked at the holographic image of the Old One in surprise. “Azure Thunder Valley?”
The Old One nodded gravely. “Indeed. I suspect it was Azure Thunder Valley. Their people passed through the Frost Radiance domain recently and even auctioned some goods in the outer markets. Their body movement techniques are so high that even a Full Star Realm cultivator might miss them.”
Zhen Zhen seethed, “Azure Thunder Valley is so bold! It’s just a Star Belt faction, with nothing higher than the Full Star Realm. How dare they target our sect?”
“Precisely because Azure Thunder Valley is weak, no one paid attention. But they need the Frost Radiance Moon to build their foundation. Their Azure Thunder Body Movement can’t break through the Wandering Star Realm barrier, but with the Frost Radiance Moon, that changes.”
“I’ll go investigate.”
“Take Xiao Nian with you. He is more than capable of sweeping through all of Azure Thunder Valley.”
“Understood.”
Soon after, Zhen Zhen told Xiao Nian of the situation, but Xiao Nian could not leave. “That old onion keeps looking for Master. Something feels off. I’ll stay and keep an eye on things. You go ahead, but bring a few inner disciples with you.”
Zhen Zhen had no choice but to go alone.
At the same time, the sect’s Wandering Star Realm deacon received intel suggesting that someone had stolen the Frost Radiance Moon and was rapidly distancing themselves from the Frost Radiance domain.
Days passed, and Wang Jie felt his body lighten. He rejoiced. He had made it through.
He had reached the one hundred and fifty times gravity zone, and his body felt significantly lighter, as if reborn.
It had taken two and a half months, but he had finally broken through.
He held his breath and stayed still, suppressing his excitement as he performed his Qi Concealment technique. Slowly, he moved through the mountains, emerging into the open.
The land ahead was flat and dark, stretching endlessly. Behind him, the mountains rose like towering giants, blocking the view of the Gong Nation people.
Wang Jie took a deep breath and began to run.
But before he could get far, the earth suddenly split open. A massive Lao Bone shot into the sky.
“Human, you’ve underestimated us.”
Wang Jie’s face went pale. He turned to run back, but it was too late. A group of Gong Nation people stood behind him, watching with mocking smiles.
One of them sneered, “We’ve been through countless Star Cloud Wars. We’re experts at catching battlefield rats. We had no idea you escaped by digging through the mountains, but the moment you stepped out, we knew. The entire mountain range has been under our surveillance.”
“You killed our people and think you can run? Don’t worry, we’ll crush you into dust. But before that, we’ll make sure you wish you were never born. Your skin looks… clean.”
Wang Jie realized he had underestimated them.
On the other side of the mountain, there was another Wandering Star Realm Gong Nation person. That one would surely know of his escape. It would take only a few breaths for them to arrive.
The worst outcome for him now would be to wait for death.
His gaze hardened. Even if he had to die, he would make them pay a price.
Twisting the void, the debt slip appeared.
The words were written: Qing Feng Unreturning Guest.
Two breaths later, an immense power surged into his body. Strangely, his body began to shrink, but he had no time to care. Pressure descended from above as the Wandering Star Realm Gong Nation person approached.
Before him, Lao Bone crashed down, attempting to crush him.
Wang Jie looked up. With a snap of his storage ring, swords flew out one after another, linking together—Sword Form Technique: Single Line to Heaven.
Power exploded, Qi merged, and a hundred swords shot toward the sky, their cold radiance connecting heaven and earth.
The Wandering Star Realm Gong Nation person raised their battle axe to strike, cleaving the hundred swords in half. The remaining force cut toward Wang Jie.
The broken swords split—half continuing to soar into the heavens, half spiraling like a serpent to strike the battle axe.
This was something the Gong Nation person had not anticipated. They thought they could easily destroy everything with a single swing, unable to fathom how the already broken swords could still move. Lock force should have severed them.
The battle axe grazed Wang Jie, cleaving the ground and creating a rift that extended halfway across Heavy Depth star.
Wang Jie was struck by the terrifying star force, spitting out blood, almost losing consciousness.
He gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain, stepping into Armor Eight Steps, heading toward the one hundred and eighty times gravity zone. The Wandering Star Realm Lao Bone Gong Nation person sneered, thinking he was attempting to return. Just as it was about to strike, a flash of cold light appeared again, reflected off a sword’s blade in the sunlight. It looked impossible.
The hundred broken swords still soared toward the cosmos.
The Gong Nation person thought these broken swords should fall. How could the human still control them?
This was madness.