Chapter 242
Chapter 242: This is Power
Upon returning to Ming Huang Hall, the woman handed over the star map.
Presently, the Hundred Star Realm cultivator stationed at the Hanhai Sea battlefield within the Second Star Cloud was a dagger bearer, not an expert from Ming Huang Hall.
Thus, Ming Huang Hall could only pass the star map on to that dagger bearer.
Yet, the dagger bearer made no reply.
In the days that followed, the Hanhai Sea battlefield fell into unsettling silence. The quieter it became, the more uneasy Ming Huang Hall grew.
“Go and ask that senior again what he’s thinking.”
“That informant is our spy. It’s natural the dagger bearer doesn’t trust him.”
“Junior Sister Qiao, what is your opinion?” asked an old woman, also of Wandering Star Realm. She had lived long with considerable battle prowess, yet faced Qiao Xi respectfully despite their comparable strength.
Qiao Xi was young, seen as the second Su Su, and her status in the sect was beyond comparison.
Though Qiao Xi oversaw the battlefield on Ming Huang Hall’s behalf, many decisions still awaited her judgment.
Qiao Xi’s expression was calm as she spoke: “The battlefield has grown quiet. We defend; Black White Heaven attacks. Such calmness is unnatural. Perhaps we truly are encircled.”
The old woman nodded: “Mobilizing twenty million Lock Force cultivators at once is no small gesture. Though individually weak, their numbers can cloud our vision.”
Qiao Xi replied: “We must wait until battle resumes. If we truly find ourselves encircled, we can only trust that informant. Still, send a group from Central Command to wait outside Hanhai Sea. Once we break through, they’ll support us from the outside.”
Several days passed. Then, with a thunderous explosion, countless streaks of brilliant light poured toward the battlefield from all directions.
Black White Heaven had attacked.
Their assault was fierce, reminiscent of battles at the spaceport. As soon as the fighting began, Ming Huang Hall realized something was terribly wrong.
Wu Yuan acted directly, accompanied by Li Tong He.
Second Star Cloud and the Third Nebula’s Hundred Star Realm immediately blocked their advance. Yet, Black White Heaven’s cultivators multiplied, bringing ship after ship forward.
Their stance showed determination to seize the entire Hanhai Sea battlefield.
Seeing this formation, Ming Huang Hall finally understood—they truly were surrounded. Everyone turned toward Qiao Xi.
Her face darkened. “Follow the star map. Prepare to break through.”
“Senior Sister, wait. If this is a trap set by Black White Heaven, we’ll fall directly into it.”
Qiao Xi considered this carefully, then ordered Ming Huang Hall to withdraw slightly without breaking through, letting other cultivators stand ahead and suffer losses first. Later, she planned to guide them toward the breakout route, letting others risk the danger.
Though Ming Huang Hall was clever, the others were not fools either.
Black White Heaven attacked relentlessly, forcing the Second Star Cloud back step by step, but none dared attempt to break through first.
Yet Wang Jie had anticipated this.
Their true target was—the Central Command of the Second Star Cloud.
While Ornate Jade Gate had used the battlefield to plot against the Third Nebula, Wang Jie had used the Hanhai Sea battlefield as cover to plot against Second Star Cloud’s core. Within this plan, Cang Wu’s disguise was the true camouflage.
This drew the Second Star Cloud’s full attention onto the battlefield, obsessing over the authenticity of Wang Jie’s information, neglecting their own core.
Thus, Black White Heaven’s attack on Second Star Cloud’s core became shockingly simple.
Even more conveniently, Second Star Cloud’s Central Command had dispatched forces to guard the outside of the Hanhai Sea battlefield, further weakening the defenses at their core.
If the Central Command of the Second Star Cloud on the Yin Yang battlefield fell, the entire Yin Yang battlefield would collapse.
After all, Ornate Jade Gate had sealed its gates.
The Third Nebula had few cultivators left here, and none possessed the will to fight.
Whether the forces in Hanhai Sea actually broke through or from which direction mattered little, for they’d never been truly encircled. The supposed intense battles were merely starship barrages designed to mimic a siege, wasting some resources in the process.
As news arrived from the core of Second Star Cloud, the situation at Hanhai Sea changed dramatically.
Whether Ming Huang Hall, the dagger bearer, or even Flower Nation—all scrambled desperately to break out. None imagined the Central Command was the true target. They’d entirely overlooked it.
“Break out immediately!”
“Which direction?”
“Any direction will do! If the core was attacked, our informant’s information must be false.”
Radiance illuminated the entire Hanhai Sea battlefield.
Wang Jie gazed into the distance, knowing it was already too late to break out. The Hanhai Sea battlefield would suffer heavy losses during the chase, and the Central Command had no hope of reinforcement. Both fronts were lost.
Had Ming Huang Hall immediately broken out when battle began, perhaps Central Command could have been saved.
From the moment Ming Huang Hall hesitated, Wang Jie knew his plan had succeeded. All that remained was to reap the harvest.
“Follow me! Let’s take down as many as we can!” Wang Jie shouted, rushing from the fragments of a shattered planet. Behind him, Han Song and the others followed closely, eyes filled with newfound admiration.
They knew the whole plan. They never imagined Wang Jie possessed such tactical brilliance. Combined with his unpredictable methods, his impact on the battlefield was extraordinary.
Even Yun Ju’s gaze toward Wang Jie had changed.
Gone was hatred, replaced by deep wariness.
[Going against him…might be unwise.]
The concentrated bombardment ceased, and now came pursuit. At this moment, Second Star Cloud cultivators discovered there hadn’t been countless Lock Force cultivators surrounding them after all—only small groups positioned at intervals, deceiving them into believing they’d been encircled.
Despicable indeed.
Surrounding him, dagger bearers hid within shadows, yet none escaped Wang Jie’s sweeping gaze. These ordinary dagger bearers had no hope of concealing themselves in his presence—their auras were far too obvious.
In the distance, countless Lock Force cultivators charged forward, their eyes glowing crimson.
Han Song and the others surged past Wang Jie, like tigers plunging into a flock of sheep.
Wang Jie stared even further ahead. He could hear the distant melody of a zither and the clear tones of a flute—the people of Phoenix Cry Hall had arrived.
A Sword Step carried him forward like lightning. No one along the path could stand against him.
Far away, the disciples of Phoenix Cry Hall were locked in chaotic battle against enemies from another direction. Shockingly, among them was Wu Jiang.
An old woman threw herself toward Wu Jiang, fighting with reckless abandon as if ready to die.
Qiao Xi was about to aid her when a fierce shout erupted from behind. Turning sharply, her gaze grew icy, filled with killing intent: “Wang Jie?”
Wang Jie fixed his eyes on Qiao Xi. “So, it’s you.”
Ignoring Wu Jiang’s plight, Qiao Xi played her flute, instantly unleashing the Thunder Sound True Technique.
The flute’s music summoned heaven thunder, raining destruction upon the earth.
Wang Jie’s gaze sharpened [Perfect]. Raising his hand, he charged forward with the Thunder Pattern hovering above him.
The Thunder Sound True Technique hammered relentlessly against the Thunder Pattern, shattering it piece by piece. Yet beneath it, Wang Jie remained unharmed. His Armor Eight Steps gave him strange, elusive movements, while recent training had greatly boosted both his strength and defense. Combined with his defensive aura, he directly ignored Qiao Xi’s thunderous attacks.
Even heaven thunder striking his body no longer mattered to him.
In a flash, he stood before Qiao Xi, pointing a finger—Starry Finger Technique.
Shadows of countless fingers descended, illuminating the battlefield beneath their glow.
Around Qiao Xi, diamond-like Star Force hovered, each jewel infused with heaven thunder. Exploding under the finger shadows, they released heavenly lightning, isolating the two combatants in dazzling radiance. Onlookers retreated, unable to draw near.
Behind them, Han Song trembled in shock. [How quickly Wang Jie has grown—to match Qiao Xi in combat after so short a time.] Qiao Xi had been praised as the next Su Su, after all.
A thunderous boom shook the air, and the diamond Star Force burst apart. Wang Jie appeared right before Qiao Xi, striking out with his palm.
Qiao Xi stared in disbelief. [How can he be so strong? He ignored all my attacks—how did he improve so quickly?] With no time to ponder, she swiftly spun her flute to block. The flute and palm collided fiercely, sending both fighters staggering backward.
Han Song leaped forward from behind Wang Jie, swinging his hammer mercilessly toward Qiao Xi.
Qiao Xi’s expression changed drastically as she retreated. Star Force gathered around her again, accompanied by flute notes, forming a beautiful scene—but it shattered instantly under Han Song’s ruthless hammer blow. Only heaven thunder continued to flicker, wildly.
Yet Wang Jie stepped forward once more, passing through the lightning without pause. The flute’s melody ceased as Wang Jie seized hold of it.
Qiao Xi glared at Wang Jie furiously. “You’re despicable.”
Wang Jie didn’t care about fighting alongside Han Song. He was confident he could defeat this woman alone, but it would waste precious time. “This is a battlefield,” he replied calmly, Force fully yanking the flute away.
Qiao Xi couldn’t maintain her grip. Had she not let go, Wang Jie would have dragged her along as well.
Han Song seized the chance and smashed his hammer toward her.
Qiao Xi opened both palms wide, desperately gathering Star Force to resist.
With a dull thud, the hammer sent her flying through the air.
Just as Han Song moved to pursue, endless melodies sounded from afar—Eight Tones, Eight Extinctions, unleashed by countless ordinary disciples. Their strength was meager, but their numbers overwhelming. Han Song had no choice but to withdraw, clutching his hammer tightly.
Wang Jie surged forward, ready to strike again, when suddenly pain erupted in his palm. He looked down, startled. [What is this?]
In his palm, distorted musical notes twisted. [When did she…? Ah, it must have been when I grabbed the flute.]
Blood trickled from the corner of Qiao Xi’s mouth. “That’s my Phoenix Cry Hall’s Parasite Melody. Get lost if you value your life.”
Wang Jie stared again at his hand, then spread his fingers toward Qiao Xi. Within his body, Qi vibrated violently, obliterating the parasitic melody hidden within his flesh, even tearing open the skin and muscle in his palm.
Qiao Xi paled instantly. [Impossible—the Parasite Melody can’t be destroyed so easily!]
Before she could react further, Wang Jie appeared in front of her in a single stride, hand reaching out swiftly, grasping.
Qiao Xi attempted to retreat, but it was too late—Wang Jie’s hand closed around her throat, then tossed her brutally onto the ground. Her vision spun chaotically, and as she struggled to rise, a heavy kick knocked her unconscious.
Wang Jie stared down at Qiao Xi’s unmoving form.
[This woman holds high status in Phoenix Cry Hall. Killing her would be a waste; bringing her back would count just as highly.]
In the distance, Wu Jiang severed the old woman’s head with a single stroke, meeting Wang Jie’s gaze briefly before nodding and continuing his slaughter.
Wang Jie instructed Wen Yuan to watch over Qiao Xi.
Wen Yuan was not skilled in frontal battle; defending with formations was enough.
Wang Jie returned to the fighting.
The Hanhai Sea battlefield became entirely one-sided. Though many from the Second Star Cloud broke through and reunited with allies waiting in the starry void, they quickly found themselves surrounded from every direction by Black White Heaven.
There was nowhere left to run.
The central core of the Second Star Cloud had already fallen.
Their only remaining option was to flee from the Yin Yang Battlefield altogether.
With the defeat of the Second Star Cloud and Third Nebula Ornate Jade Gate sealing their gates after losing their leader, further resistance against Black White Heaven became impossible.
After years of endless fighting, the Yin Yang Battlefield finally reached its end.
Sitting in a warship, Wang Jie gazed out at the distant stars. Listening to the excited conversations around him, he too felt a surge of emotion.
He had experienced something completely new.
In the past, he’d fought alone, battling along the path of cultivation by himself. But the battle of Hanhai Sea was nearly entirely his own planning—a grand campaign involving millions of cultivators. No one could calculate the losses, neither lives nor warship resources.
And all this sprang from his single thought.
[A single person’s idea could hold such immense power.] Yet, it was possible only because of everything he had done before.
[This is authority.]
Authority that decided the life and death of countless souls.
Wang Jie took a deep breath, quietly savoring this newfound feeling. [It feels…rather good.]