Chapter 266
Chapter 266: Gathering of All Sides
Next would come the natural breakthrough—reaching ninety-nine times strength, the pinnacle he had once attained at the ten-seal stage back on Blue Star. In the current realm, this would mark his peak at the Star Breaking Realm.
His internal qi had also grown significantly.
[The Thunder Pattern has turned azure now? Wonderful.] His physical strength had increased alongside his eyesight.
Indeed, fighting with one’s life on the line brought many benefits, though if given the choice, he would rather avoid such desperate struggles.
After staying on Meditation Peak for over ten days, Wang Jie finally departed.
The first person he saw was Tong Shou.
He expressed his gratitude to Tong Shou for allowing him to recover on Meditation Peak.
Shuang Jin looked at Wang Jie with an unusual gaze, saying, “Right now, once you fully absorb the lock force, you’ll officially step into Full Star Realm. Congratulations, Wang Jie.”
Wang Jie bowed respectfully, “Thank you, Tong Shou, and many thanks for Senior Shuang Ying’s protection.”
Shuang Jin replied earnestly, “No need to thank us. Quickly replenish your lock force. We cannot stay here any longer. You only have one chance.”
Wang Jie was confused, “What’s happening?”
Shuang Jin’s expression grew grave, “Edge Sect has greatly reinforced their forces. We…must abandon the Three Domains.”
On Devour Star, Wang Jie absorbed lock force continuously, his expression heavy.
To think they would abandon the Three Domains! That meant they would even give up the central domain itself, inevitably withdrawing from the Yunxi Domain.
That also meant losing Devour Star.
Now, no one would help him move Devour Star away.
Tong Shou had clearly explained that in order to handle the enemy’s Star Refining Realm experts, moving Devour Star would only attract unwanted attention. It was better to hide it among ordinary planets. If one day they returned and the enemy hadn’t yet noticed Devour Star’s uniqueness, there would still be no loss.
Of course, such hope was slim. A single glance from a Star Refining Realm expert could uncover Devour Star’s special nature.
“Wang Jie, let’s go,” Elder Wu arrived specifically to escort him away.
Wang Jie helplessly cast a reluctant gaze back at Devour Star. The planet’s greatest use wasn’t merely to help him reach Full Star Realm, but rather to completely replenish his lock force during the Wandering Star Realm, and even further, during the Hundred Star Realm. It was during that later stage that cultivators thirsted most desperately for lock force.
Yet now, it was suddenly gone.
His cheap master certainly never anticipated this either.
He followed Elder Wu onto the warship. Ship after ship was already departing, leaving Yunxi Domain behind.
All cultivators were aboard the warships.
As the central domain grew smaller in the distance, Wang Jie felt little, but many who had spent long years there were deeply moved.
“I remember the last complete retreat was hundreds of years ago. Back then, I followed my master, struggling to survive in Yunxi Domain. In the blink of an eye, so much time has passed,” an elderly Wandering Star Realm cultivator lamented.
Wang Jie looked at him with surprise. This man had actually spent hundreds of years here?
To survive so long on the battlefield required not just strength and luck, but intelligence too.
“Senior Brother must have spent almost as much time here as the three Elders.”
“Something like that.”
“What prompted the last withdrawal?”
“A similar situation. Actually, every so often, Edge Sect greatly reinforces their troops. Our Black White Heaven always relies on defensive strategies, weakening enemy morale through distance, and waiting patiently for a chance to counterattack. So we will surely return to Yunxi Domain. But whether we’ll be among those who return—that depends on luck.” Finished speaking, the cultivator noticed Wang Jie looking at him, smiled, and bowed, “Greetings, Senior Brother Wang.”
Wang Jie quickly returned the gesture, “Senior Brother, please, no need for such courtesy.”
Though this cultivator was Wandering Star Realm with undoubtedly high combat power, he still addressed Wang Jie humbly as Senior Brother. Clearly, this humility was his way of surviving and thriving.
People like him weren’t uncommon on the battlefield.
Although Wang Jie and Fang He drew attention as prominent figures, many had also once shone brightly before learning humility—understanding they couldn’t sustain fame against the battlefield’s endless toll.
Fang He was a Six Dao Wanderer, standing at the absolute peak of that realm, so he didn’t need to remain humble, no matter his age.
Wang Jie, meanwhile, had dared to directly confront Fang He, proving himself strong enough to attract attention.
But if all Wandering Star Realm cultivators were gathered, they would discover many hidden talents who kept low profiles. Some might even rival or surpass Wang Jie. Most who knew their histories had long since perished.
On the warship, Wang Jie deliberately chatted further with this cultivator.
Through their conversation, he learned that Yunxi Domain had retreated multiple times before, as had Wuchen Domain and Haoqian Domain. He also learned that Edge Sect wasn’t the only force sending reinforcements—the majority came from cultivators outside the three primary powers of Ancient Sword Pillar Keeper.
Within Ancient Sword Pillar Keeper, three major factions reigned supreme: the strongest was the Sword Court, dominating Nine Sword Domains; next was the Sword Pool, holding Five Sword Domains; and finally, Edge Sect, controlling Three Sword Domains.
While it seemed the pillar was fully divided, it was impossible for them to entirely dominate something so vast. Beyond their absolute control lay expansive territories—places inaccessible to the ancient sword, yet undeniably linked to these factions.
Each large-scale reinforcement was, in truth, these peripheral forces stepping forward.
After each wave of reinforcements exhausted itself, they would rest, recover, and then return again.
Thus, the periodic withdrawal from the Three Domains wasn’t an anomaly—it was simply routine.
No wonder Tong Shou remained so calm, treating the event as though it were commonplace.
“Senior Brother Wang, you must not underestimate those cultivators outside the three major factions. Many among them are terrifyingly strong. Some once belonged to the three major sects, establishing their own sects and families. These families and sects are granted quotas to cultivate within the three major factions, even eligible to approach the ancient sword itself.”
“Others possess extraordinary innate talent, no weaker than the core disciples of the three main sects.”
“You must exercise extra caution when encountering them, for those people specialize in killing and competing.”
Wang Jie said gratefully, “Thank you for reminding me, senior brother.”
“Of course, we’re not the only ones facing powerful enemies. Each time the enemy receives reinforcements, the Big Dipper bridge pillar will as well. Just wait, many will soon arrive.”
Gradually, Yunxi Domain faded into the distance, replaced by endless starry skies.
Wang Jie saw a vast meteorite belt stretching across the darkness, marking the boundary to the fourth star cloud. This meteorite belt was the dividing line between the First Main battlefield and the star clouds beyond.
He also noticed cultivators from the other two domains, their battleships likewise heading toward the region behind the meteorite belt.
As all the battleships crossed beyond the belt, they began releasing orbital dust, orbital mist, ice crystal cloud thunder, and other defenses, forming a massive defensive line.
At the same moment, Armor One Sect issued a call to arms, rallying everyone from the Big Dipper bridge pillar to join the battlefield.
The call rapidly spread throughout the entire Big Dipper bridge pillar, stirring countless hearts.
“Armor One Sect’s mobilization order, is it? Judging by the timing, ancient sword pillar keeper is also about to launch a major offensive. Xian Yin!”
“Yes, disciple is here.”
“Go now, take Su Su with you and aid the battlefield.”
“Yes.”
…
In Flower Country, a young woman lay lazily upon her bed, surrounded by snacks piled high.
“Senior sister, Senior Sister Ke Ke! Wake up quickly, the elder has ordered you to support the battlefield!”
“I’m not going! I want to sleep.”
“You must! The elder’s order can’t be ignored.”
“I refuse! Who dares force me?”
“The elder said if you don’t go, all these snacks will be burned.”
Immediately the woman sat up, gnashing her teeth angrily: “That damned old lady! She won’t go herself, even though it’s a dangerous battlefield!”
…
“A hundred thousand Shield Mountain disciples, heed orders! March to support the battlefield!”
“A hundred thousand Falling Bow Hall disciples, heed orders!”
“A million living beings of Gong Nation, heed orders!”
…
“Grandfather, why must we go support the battle?”
“This is a great chance to enter Armor One Sect’s good graces. Do you know how those mighty ones from the First Star Cloud choose their borrowed disciples? Aside from exchanges of interest, it’s through opportunities like this. With Armor One Sect’s mobilization order, this battle has the attention of the entire Big Dipper bridge pillar. If you perform well, you may be selected to cultivate in Armor One Sect. Then, the Puppet Master Sect will rely on you.”
“Fine, but it’s too dangerous.”
“Just don’t be foolish. On the battlefield, stay behind, and when credit is earned, rush in and take it.”
“Isn’t that wrong?”
“You child! Let me remind you again about your great-grandfather’s history.”
“I understand, Grandfather. I’ll leave immediately.”
…
Within Armor One Sect, a young girl sat barefoot atop a waterfall, gazing thoughtfully at a chessboard. Glasses rested gently on her delicate face, adding to rather than diminishing her unreal beauty.
“Xi Liu, still pondering this chess game?”
The girl smiled softly. “It’s quite interesting.”
“Haha, indeed. This endgame from Opposing Illusion Mountain refines the heart. But it holds little meaning for you. Go outside, relax a little.”
“Where shall I go?”
“Anywhere you wish. Recently, reinforcements from ancient sword pillar keeper have arrived. You could go play around there or perhaps visit the sect’s new club recruits and see if there’s any promising talent.”
The young girl lifted her head and smiled brightly. “Alright.”
…
Behind the meteorite belt, vast arrays of battleships lined up, silently facing distant space.
At the very front were Tong Shou, the Black Realm Lord, and Zhi Ye. Behind them stood nearly ten hundred-star elders.
Further back stretched countless battleships filled with cultivators.
At this moment, Wang Jie stood within one of these battleships, looking silently ahead.
The air was utterly quiet, for the alarm had just sounded—the enemy was approaching. Vast amounts of orbital dust within the meteorite belt had been disturbed, setting off countless bursts of ice crystal cloud thunder. White sparks bloomed in the darkness of deep space, releasing a freezing chill.
Here stood all the cultivators from the three great domains, and the meteorite belt around them was their main battlefield.
If the battleships were destroyed, cultivators who hadn’t yet reached wandering star realm would have to leap out and battle among the meteorites themselves.
“They’ve arrived,” someone whispered.
All eyes turned toward the distant void.
Dark shadows approached. Leading the charge, brilliant heaven thunder flashed fiercely. They were Thunder Roar Hounds—countless hounds unleashing devastating thunderbolts, tearing toward the defenders and scattering lightning into the meteorite belt. Behind the hounds slithered countless red serpents with fiery wings. Their wings were beautiful beyond compare, ablaze with flames, yet their faces were grotesque and fierce.
These were the Blazing Phoenix Serpents, who had long waged war in the Haoqian Domain.
Further behind sped countless streaks of crimson light, each a Blood Falcon that eternally fought in the Wuchen Domain.
These three types of cosmic giant beasts were the forces that ancient sword pillar keeper deployed most heavily on the First Main battlefield.
From Wang Jie’s position, no enemy cultivators could be seen—only dazzling heaven thunder, surging flames, and swift streaks of scarlet flashing through lightning and fire. The enemy’s reinforcements were completely obscured, hidden behind this terrifying display.
“Shuang Jin, it has been a long time,” a voice echoed through the starry expanse, clearly reaching every cultivator, even Wang Jie, despite the vast distance.
Suddenly, all eyes fixed upon three figures who had appeared above the battlefield.
At the center stood a man who had just spoken. His name was Han Heng, renowned as the greatest genius cultivator Edge Sect had ever produced.