Chapter 3150, He’s Here
Translator: Silavin & Tia
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
In the past, Zi Long, the Master of Purple Star, had a dispute with Yang Kai because of matters involving his first son. Consequently, he was killed by Yang Kai and the Embodiment in the Starry Sky. That incident had left Purple Star without a leader for many years. Internal conflicts had continued endlessly and, in the end, Zi Wu Ji had taken over to become the new Sect Master of Purple Star.
Unfortunately, the Grand Desolation Star Field had invaded Tong Xuan Realm before Zi Wu Ji could enjoy his new position.
The strength of Purple Star had been reduced greatly compared to the past due to the long-term internal conflict it suffered over the years; therefore, it was completely helpless against the Masters from Grand Desolation Star Field. It only managed to stand its ground against the invaders for half a year before it was completely annihilated, losing several Cultivation Stars in the process.
Seeing that the situation was not in their favour, Zi Wu Ji took some subordinates with him and sought refuge under Heng Luo Chamber of Commerce. They managed to lead a peaceful life for some time there; however, Heng Luo Chamber of Commerce eventually fell too. Thus, he could only follow Xue Yue and escape to Tong Xuan Realm.
Sword Union’s experience was similar. The cultivators of the Grand Desolation Star Field had been acting lawlessly in Heng Luo Star Field for many years, and Heng Luo Chamber of Commerce couldn’t maintain its resistance against the invasion. Sword Union was similarly powerless to resist. In this way, several of the former top forces fell, one after the other.
That was the reason why everybody had gathered here. Nine Heavens Holy Land was not just the last untouched oasis on Tong Xuan Realm, but also one of the few refuges in the Star Field as a whole; it was their only remaining hope. If they couldn’t defend this place, then there would be no place for them anymore.
For that reason, they had not been sitting around, twiddling their thumbs and waiting for their deaths to come. When they noticed that the Netherworld Sect was arranging the Eight Desolation Binding Spirit Array, they launched a series of attacks. Unfortunately, the Eight Desolation Binding Spirit Array was so powerful that they couldn’t slip through the defences of the Spirit Array. Moreover, being exposed to that Black Qi for a long time would cause dizziness and weakness. Their Saint Qi would also become useless as a consequence. Although they managed to kill some people, those people were mere pawns. The deaths of those pawns had little impact on the Netherworld Sect’s plans.
It could be said that these people, along with Nine Heavens Holy Land, had reached the end of their rope. They might not know what the Eight Desolation Binding Spirit Array was supposed to do, but they could sense that the moment it was activated, even Xia Ning Chang would no longer be able to protect them. In the end, the foundation of Tong Xuan Realm was too superficial. If it was a Star like Shadowed Star or Water Moon Star, the cultivators of the Grand Desolation Star Field would not have been allowed to roam free with its Star Master overseeing it.
“How is Young Lady Xia doing today?” Zi Wu Ji asked in a whisper.
Gu Jian Xin held a simple longsword in his arms and shook his head slowly, “I haven’t seen her for two months. The last time I saw her… Haa… It’s better not to talk about it.” For a person like that to suffer such torture because of the Grand Desolation Star Field’s poison made his heart hurt just thinking about it.
“Is Lady Xue Yue taking care of her?”
“En.” He nodded, “They are sisters with the same husband. It’s only right for them to take care of each other.”
“Brother Yang sure is a lucky man.” Zi Wu Ji chuckled and continued, “Still, isn’t he a little too unmanly? He escaped but left his women here to suffer in his place.”
Gu Jian Xin frowned when he heard those words. He was a swordsman with a straightforward nature, so he disliked hearing other people talking badly about others behind their backs. Even so, that was their freedom so he couldn’t rebuke them even if he disliked their behaviour.
Speaking of which, even he felt that Yang Kai’s actions were a little too much. Yang Kai had left this place, leaving several women behind to struggle and fend for themselves in this Star Field. Several dozen years had gone by since then with no news from him.
[I wonder if he couldn’t return, or if he had forgotten about these beautiful confidantes of his. If it was the latter… Then, it would be just too sad.]
Zi Wu Ji bitterly added, “Young Lady Xia is exquisite, intelligent, and gentle, if only I could obtain her favour…”
“Brother Zi!” Gu Jian Xin abruptly lifted his head and glowered at Zi Wu Ji in warning.
Other people might not know, but Gu Jian Xin knew only too well. Ever since the first time Zi Wu Ji laid eyes on Xia Ning Chang, he had been lovestruck. Oftentimes, his feelings of love were expressed in his words, albeit discreetly. Gu Jian Xin had always pretended not to notice, especially since they were currently stuck in this tough situation where every ally mattered. Besides, Zi Wu Ji was a Second-Order Origin King and such a minor issue wasn’t worth causing trouble over. However, Zi Wu Ji’s words today were beyond what could simply be brushed off as ‘indiscreet’.
Then again… Although Xia Ning Chang always wore a veil that concealed her true countenance, anybody would still be moved by her beauty. Xue Yue wasn’t inferior to her either, but she had an extraordinarily high status, so it was inevitable that she exuded a sense of arrogance and aloofness that created a sense of distance between herself and others. On the other hand, Xia Ning Chang was a Star Master and a Third-Order Origin King, but even so, she had never once shown the slightest arrogance; she also had an incredibly gentle nature. What man wouldn’t want to get their hands on a woman like that? She was the very model of a loyal wife and a good mother. Any man who could obtain her would be extremely blessed.
Zi Wu Ji couldn’t be blamed for falling in love with her; however, it was also possible that he simply wanted to take advantage of the situation. Xia Ning Chang was a Star Master after all, so it would be a good deed if he could marry her. With her by his side, becoming a Third-Order Origin King in the future would be more than just a dream.
Gu Jian Xin and Zi Wu Ji were not very close; in fact, they had barely interacted with each other before coming to Tong Xuan Realm, so Gu Jian Xin didn’t know much about the latter’s personality. However, the latter’s words had crossed a line so he had no choice but to speak up in warning.
If Zi Wu Ji had revealed such intentions in front of others, he would surely be ostracized by Xue Yue, Meng Wu Ya and the others.
Knowing that he had misspoken, Zi Wu Ji smiled embarrassedly, “How lucky. How lucky.”
Nobody knew who he was talking about.
At the same time, Xia Ning Chang was lying weakly in bed in one of the rooms in the inner palace. A faint layer of Black Qi shrouded her entire body as if she was dying from a terminal illness.
Tong Xuan Realm had been poisoned by the Netherworld Sect, so as its Star Master, she was most directly affected by it. The Eight Desolation Binding Spirit Array felt like chains shackling her body. Meanwhile, the eight Spirit Arrays in different locations were like poisonous sores growing on her body, constantly draining her vitality.
Her veil had been removed, revealing a face that could move the moon and stars with her beauty. Right now though, her complexion was deathly pale, and she was breathing shallowly, a distressing sight to see.
Xue Yue sat on the edge of the bed, holding Xia Ning Chang’s hand without letting go, full of feelings of self-loathing.
When Water Moon Star had fallen, she had no choice but to come to Tong Xuan Realm to seek shelter from Xia Ning Chang; however, that now seemed to have been the worst possible decision.
Tong Xuan Realm was located on the periphery of the Star Field, so it was not highly valued by Grand Desolation Star Field. It was only because she had brought her group here that Xue Yue had attracted her pursuers to this place. If it wasn’t for her, Tong Xuan Realm would not have been besieged, and Xia Ning Chang would not have to suffer such torture.
The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt.
[How I wish I could take her place instead!]
The figure of a man appeared in her mind at that moment, and gritting her teeth hard, she scolded in her heart, [Where are you right now?!]
All of a sudden, Xia Ning Chang, who was lying on the bed, groaned. Her delicate brow knitted together as her aura became unstable.
Xue Yue was startled and quickly lifted her hand to place it against Xia Ning Chang’s forehead. At the same time, she circulated her Saint Qi and poured it into Xia Ning Chang’s body. Only then did Xia Ning Chang’s frown gradually ease and her fluctuating aura stabilize again.
Even so, Xue Yue didn’t stop her actions as she was worried that Xia Ning Chang might still be experiencing discomfort in her body.
*Shua…*
Xia Ning Chang opened her eyes suddenly and a brilliant light flashed across them.
“Ning Chang!” Xue Yue whispered, more surprised than happy. It had been a long time since she had seen that kind of expression on Xia Ning Chang’s face. For the past few years, Xia Ning Chang had been ill and weakened, losing a lot of weight in the process, becoming thin and withered.
[What’s going on? Did the Grand Desolation Star Field finally take action!?]
“He…” Xia Ning Chang raised a hand and grabbed Xue Yue’s arm hard. She used so much force that Xue Yue felt some pain from it.
“Speak slowly. I’m right here,” Xue Yue quickly comforted Xia Ning Chang.
“H-He’s here!” Xia Ning Chang said.
“Who’s here?” Xue Yue asked suspiciously. The moment the words left her mouth, she froze as a thought that she did not dare to believe popped into her mind.
Xia Ning Chang smiled, “He’s here!”
They were the same words, but this time around, Xue Yue could clearly understand what Xia Ning Chang was trying to express. Her heart began pounding wildly as she bit her lip and asked, “I-Is he really here?”
Xia Ning Chang nodded slightly, “I can feel that he is coming this way. Elder Sister Yue, please go and pick him up… but… don’t bring him to me.”
After saying that, she closed her eyes as if she had gone to sleep. However, there was a slight energy fluctuation coming from her body.
At the same time, a few tens of thousands of kilometres away, Yang Kai suddenly exclaimed in surprise and stopped moving. The surrounding World Energy was reacting strangely as small spots of lights flickered like countless fireflies around him. Those lights soon converged into one spot in the middle and transformed into a beautiful, colourful butterfly that fluttered about nearby.
He grinned and stretched out a finger, upon which the butterfly immediately landed on his finger.
“Little Senior Sister!” He called out softly, looking at the colourful butterfly on his finger. This butterfly could not have appeared without reason. The only possibility was that somebody had used some sort of Secret Technique. Furthermore, there was no other person who could pull this off except Xia Ning Chang. It would seem that she had sensed his arrival and deliberately gave him some instructions, for fear that he could not find her or the others. It was not surprising that she could detect his arrival as she was the Star Master here after all.
[Still… Why didn’t Ning Chang show up in person?] Yang Kai did not have the time to consider the question deeply as the butterfly spread its wings and flew up high, leading the way ahead. Its destination was the location of the Nine Heavens Holy Land, and though its movements seemed light and gentle, its speed was incredible, seemingly reflecting the urgency in its summoner’s heart.
Yang Kai stopped thinking too much about it as he felt he would see her in a few moments anyway. Once he did, everything would become clear.
Inside the main hall of the Nine Heavens Holy Land, everyone fell silent the moment a certain someone entered.
Meng Wu Ya hurriedly stood up and looked at Xue Yue anxiously, “Lady Yue, how is Ning Chang?”
He had raised Xia Ning Chang like his own daughter, so it was only to be expected that he would be uneasy now that she was surrounded by dangers. It was just that her current condition was not due to an ordinary injury or illness. Instead, it was closely related to the vitality of Tong Xuan Realm. More importantly, there was no cure for this. The only solution was to drive away all the invaders from Grand Desolation Star Field and find a way to restore the Star itself. Perhaps, she might then recover on her own once the vitality of the Star was revived after a period of several hundreds of years.
Xue Yue shook her head gently.
Meng Wu Ya immediately understood that the situation was not optimistic; thus, he slammed his palm down in chagrin and the chair below him turned into dust.